"By now, I'm sure you've all realized!"
"That's right—the key factor in judging guilt is whether someone has harmed or threatened the Cursed Children!"
Yuki smirked, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"As for those kind souls who never hurt them and even helped the Cursed Children… they will be invited aboard the battleship above. A new world awaits them."
"And of course, the same goes for the Cursed Children."
"They will be under my protection! I will provide them with a new home!"
His words reached children huddled in every corner of the world—prisons, filthy gutters, and other wretched places where the Cursed Children were forced to survive. For the first time, a flicker of hope appeared on their faces.
Of course, Yuki knew his words alone might not be enough.
To drive the point home, he brought out Kiriya and Saya, seating the twin sisters on either side of his lap. Then, to add even more weight, he had Seitenshi herself take a seat on a second throne beside him.
After Seitenshi's explanation—and the shocking revelation of her research on the origins of the Gastrea virus—both ordinary people and Cursed Children across the world were stunned.
No one had imagined that the chaos and destruction wrought by the Gastrea beasts… had all been humanity's own doing.
Those first Gastrea? They were nothing more than children forced into horrific experiments.
"Enough talk!" Yuki declared. "Now… let the judgment begin!"
With that command, the colorful Celestial Beings behind him vanished in an instant, dispatched by their squad leaders to every corner of the world. Their mission: to protect the Cursed Children and the innocent, and to deliver judgment upon the guilty.
Yuki entrusted Seitenshi with overseeing the arrival of rescued Cursed Children aboard the starship.
Naturally, she accepted gladly and returned to the vessel. After a moment's thought, she decided to prepare a warm, proper meal.
'These children have probably been starved and fed scraps for so long…'
A good, clean meal would help them settle in faster.
Hearing her plan, Kiriya and Saya immediately joined in, assisting her in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Yuki headed to a Tokyo facility that housed Cursed Children with potential—those selected to serve as partners for civilian security forces.
As mentioned before, these children were paired with human officers.
Those who became partners earned the title of "Initiator," while their human counterparts were called "Promoters."
On the surface, this system gave Cursed Children stable employment. But in reality…
There was a cruel catch—the more a Cursed Child used her powers, the faster the virus would corrode her body.
And since their work required them to use those abilities, it meant that many Cursed Children would eventually succumb to the virus, transforming into Gastrea beasts.
When that happened, their Promoters would simply… abandon them. Replace them with a new Initiator.
In the end, the Cursed Children were nothing more than disposable tools.
The moment Yuki appeared at the facility, all eyes snapped toward him.
Fear rippled through the crowd—people scrambled back, desperate to put distance between themselves and him.
"I-It's… it's that man!!"
"Y-Yes, it's him!"
His face was unforgettable, especially after his broadcast. And given the sheer audacity of his actions, no one dared to meet his gaze.
The Promoters—those who had come to "shop" for new Initiators—lowered their heads, trembling. They knew exactly how they'd treated their former partners. They knew what they deserved.
But Yuki ignored them. He couldn't be bothered to deal with them himself.
'Let the Celestial Beings handle the judgment.'
He was only here for the children.
Of course, the facility's staff noticed his arrival. They didn't need to ask why he'd come.
But to them, the Cursed Children were merchandise. They weren't about to let him walk away with their "property."
A few guards exchanged glances, then slowly raised their guns—aiming at Yuki's exposed back.
Why would he come alone? Why leave himself open like this?
They didn't understand. But they weren't about to waste this chance to kill him.
Yet the moment they pulled the trigger…
Their guns didn't fire.
Instead—
BANG.
The weapons exploded in their hands.
And not just a normal misfire. The blast was unnaturally violent—shattering skulls, scattering brains, painting the floor in grotesque splatters of red and white.
For a heartbeat, the room was dead silent.
Then, as the reality sank in, panic erupted.
People screamed, dropping whatever they were holding, stampeding toward the exits in a blind frenzy.
Yuki didn't bother with the fleeing crowd. Instead, he strode toward the containment area where the Cursed Children were held.
The room was more like a prison—thick armored walls, barely any light, only a small window to peer inside.
With just a thought, the heavy door vanished.
Sunlight flooded the darkness.
He stepped in, scanning the room. Over a hundred Cursed Children huddled inside.
When they saw him, they froze. No one moved. No one spoke.
Their experiences had taught them one thing: people meant danger.
But then—one girl stepped forward.
"Art thou here to choose an Initiator?"
"Then how about me? This one possesses the nimble Rabbit-Type Factor! I can be of great use in battle!"
A girl with long crimson hair, tied into twintails with rabbit-themed ribbons, stood before him. Her pale skin and delicate features made her look almost doll-like.
But her eyes? They sparkled with something else—admiration, fascination. And yet, she still tried to sell herself.
Of course. There was no TV here. She had no idea who he really was.
"You're Enju Aihara, right?"
Yuki recognized her instantly—the protagonist's partner in the original story.
Enju blinked, startled. Then, slowly, she nodded.
"Thou knowest my name?! Could it be... this handsome big brother came specifically for me?!"
"Eeeh~! How embarrassing!"
"Marriage and all that~~~"
Her cheeks flushed pink as she covered her face, giggling.
"But sure! If it's thee, I don't mind at all!"
"Hehe!"
Yuki couldn't help but chuckle.
Just like in the original, Enju was bold, cheerful, and way too forward for her age.
"You've got it wrong," he said. "I'm here to take all of you away."
"To a new world. One where no one will discriminate or hurt you ever again."
He explained his purpose—not just to Enju, but to every child in that dark room.
And then…
He led them outside.
Into the light.
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