The dawn in Inazuma arrived brighter than ever before.
Within forty-eight standard hours, Guilliman and his twenty Ultramarines had completed the thorough restructuring of the island nation.
The wandering samurai who once rampaged across the land—whether they were Kairagi forced by circumstance or Nobushi who had devolved into bandits—were now either receiving training in newly built factories wearing neat work uniforms, or had turned into a wisp of smoke along the coastline.
"Acceptance testing for Settlement No. 137 is complete."
Marius Gage's data-slate glowed blue.
"782 people passed the assessment, and those executed... that number is irrelevant."
The new recruits of the Tenryou Commission watched dumbfounded as a demonstration unfolded on the training grounds—two Ultramarines were conducting counter-insurgency tactical instruction.
Just as the scarecrows playing the role of bandits appeared a hundred meters away, the roar of the Boltgun sounded simultaneously.
Even more terrifying was the close combat demonstration: the training Greatsword was swung by an Ultramarine with a single hand, leaving afterimages, and the dummies exploded directly into sawdust that filled the sky.
"Do you understand now why a prisoner policy isn't needed?"
Auguston patted the young samurai's shoulder; the latter was nodding frantically.
— — — — — —
A textbook-style raid was unfolding at the Ritou Docks.
"In the name of The Emperor!"
Hill's heavy punch directly shattered the shield of the Fatui Skirmishers. Amidst the roar of the Boltgun, four Debt Collectors turned into humanoid bloodstains on the wall before they could even draw their weapons.
The two accompanying Ultramarines were astonishingly efficient.
The net of fire they formed back-to-back was like the Grim Reaper's scythe; every bolt round precisely pierced the Fatui's Delusion devices.
An Electro Cicin Mage attempted to release the Mist Grass, but was smashed into the wall—along with her Cicin flies—by an Ultramarine wearing Terminator Power Armor, using a Power Fist.
"High-value target detected."
Hill's sensors suddenly locked onto the purple figure on the rooftop.
Before the Balladeer could even utter a taunt, he was pinned to the ground by a suddenly flying Gravity Grenade.
When he struggled to look up, all he saw was the dark muzzle of a Boltgun and Hill's emotionless mechanical voice:
"Surrender, or become a decorative painting."
— — — — — —
"Balladeer? Fatui? My nephew?"
Raiden Makoto's voice was so soft it sounded like she was afraid of shattering something.
She slowly turned her head to look at her younger sister, who was huddled in the corner reading *Reincarnated as the Raiden Shogun and Now Unstoppable*.
"Ei."
The gentle voice carried a dangerous tremor.
"Why did the Puppet you made become a Fatui Harbinger?"
"Eh?"
Raiden Ei looked up from the light novel in confusion.
"I... I abandoned him and never paid attention to him again."
"Abandoned?!"
The brush pen in Raiden Makoto's hand snapped with a "crack."
The Balladeer sneered, allowing the Raiden Shogun to poke his face curiously: "Why pretend to care now? Didn't you say back then that 'Puppets shouldn't have feelings'?"
Raiden Ei lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously curling the page: "At the time... at the time I needed a Puppet that could perfectly enforce eternity, but he... he cried..."
Her voice grew softer and softer.
"That's why I remade the Shogun..."
"So you just threw him away?!"
Raiden Makoto grabbed her sister's ear.
"Is creating life such a casual matter?!"
"Ow ow ow! Sister, I was wrong!"
Just as the two sisters were arguing, Gage's mechanical voice suddenly interjected: "Supplemental intelligence: we captured a slice of Dottore. After the Librarian extracted the memories, confirmation—"
He brought up a holographic projection.
"The truth behind the death of a human named Niwa. This should be helpful."
The Balladeer's expression instantly froze.
In the projection, Dottore, under the alias "Escher," was plunging a dagger into the back of a black-haired man.
As the scene advanced, it was clearly visible that Dottore placed the heart into a specialized container, and then... handed it to the wandering Kabukimono in white clothes.
"Niwa... he didn't betray me...?"
The Balladeer's voice suddenly sounded unlike his own.
The Ultramarine Librarian stepped forward: "According to the memory extraction, Niwa Hisahide actively confronted Dottore to protect the Tatarasuna craftsmen and was ultimately murdered by him."
Cold light flickered in his goggles.
"The 'Purification Device' Dottore tricked you into wearing was actually made from Niwa's heart."
"No... That's impossible!"
The Balladeer suddenly erupted; lightning shattered the restraint device on his body.
"Niwa clearly was—"
Gage slammed him back to the ground with a Gravity Fist: "The Librarian would not lie to you."
The Librarian used Psychic Power to confine the Balladeer, sealed the elemental energy inside his body, placed a hand on the Balladeer's forehead, and infused the memories.
As the Librarian's iron hand pressed onto the Balladeer's forehead, all the memories flooded in like a torrent—Niwa's dying smile, Dottore's lies under the scalpel, and the heart that had been made into a purifier, which he had discarded as a mockery of Niwa.
"Dottore..."
The Balladeer's voice suddenly became terrifyingly calm, yet the lightning in his eyes nearly burned through his sockets.
"Hahahahaha! Dottore! Dottore!!"
As the Ultramarine dragged the Balladeer away by the back of his collar like a kitten, his hysterical roar could be heard throughout the entire Tenshukaku:
"Dottore! I'm going to stuff every single one of your slices into an incinerator! I'll blow up your disgusting laboratory into—"
"Bang!"
The Brig door cut off the rest of the profanity.
The Ultramarine on guard calmly adjusted the soundproofing device: "Standard adolescent rebellious reaction. Recommend a 72-hour cooling period."
Raiden Makoto rubbed her throbbing temples: "That slice..."
"Executed."
Gage brought up the holographic record; in the footage, Dottore's slice was being blasted into fragments by a Boltgun.
"After the Librarian finished extracting all memories, it was discovered that he was conducting human experiments in Tatarasuna using Tatarigami Energy."
The footage switched to another record: five Ultramarines raided a certain underground laboratory. Amidst the muzzle flash of the Boltguns, the test subjects in over a dozen culture tanks were dissolving.
"All slices confirmed eliminated."
Gage's data-slate glowed blue.
"Including Slice No. 3 disguised as a merchant, Slice No. 7 in the laboratory, and..."
He paused.
"Slice No. 13, who turned into a wild boar."
Yae Miko spat out the tea she had just drunk: "Wait, a wild boar?!"
"The experiment log shows he wanted to study the superiority of animal forms."
Gage expressionlessly played the footage—a wild boar wearing small glasses was writing an experiment report with its hooves, and was immediately cleaved in half by a Power Sword.
Raiden Makoto looked at the boar-shaped remains covering the floor on the screen and suddenly felt exhausted: "So now..."
"Dottore's crimes have been announced via the Pan-Territorial Broadcast System."
Gage pressed a button, and a giant announcement was immediately projected onto the outer wall of the Tenshukaku:
[Snezhnaya Wanted Notice]
Dottore (The Doctor) is suspected of the following crimes:
1. Human Experimentation (including vivisection, organ transplantation, etc.)
2. Manufacturing Delusions (causing over a thousand deaths)
3. Impersonating Wildlife (Violation of Inazuma's *City Appearance Management Regulations*, Article 37)
Note: All existing slices have been eliminated. Reports of any remaining stragglers are welcome.
Raiden Ei muttered softly: "Isn't the third point a bit..."
"Is that the main point?!"
Raiden Makoto grabbed her sister's cheek.
"Look at the mess you created back then! Your nephew became a terrorist, Inazuma was nearly ruined by the Fatui, and now others have to clean up your mess!"
Guilliman walked over at this time and interjected appropriately: "No thanks are necessary. This is the duty of the Archon."
He glanced at the Ritou Docks, which were currently being rebuilt.
"However, I suggest amending the crime 'Impersonating Wildlife' to 'Endangering Ecological System Security.' That would be more..."
"Whatever..."
Raiden Makoto slumped in her chair, then suddenly looked toward the Brig as if remembering something.
"What happens to the boy afterward?"
Gage brought up a new plan: "According to the *Problem Adolescent Correction Manual*, we recommend a three-step approach:"
1. Psychological Counseling (to be handled by the Librarian)
2. Vocational Skills Training (Optional subjects include: maintenance, forging, light novel writing, etc.)
3. Community Service (Initial arrangement is to help children make fireworks)
Yae Miko suddenly raised her hand: "Can I apply to be his guardian?"
Everyone stared in unison at the fox filled with mischief.
"Ahem, I mean..."
Miko shook her Fried Tofu.
"After all, Ei failed in her duty of raising him back then, so I, as his aunt..."
The Balladeer's roar suddenly erupted from the Brig: "Who wants you, you fox spirit, as a guardian! I'm going to Snezhnaya to chop Dottore's main body into—"
"Denied."
Guilliman immediately pressed the mute button.
"Cross-border revenge actions are prohibited during the correction period."