Kuzu Inou【Ondo wo Kaeru Mono】 no Ore ga Musou suru made Chapter 6

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06 Kurono Meria’s appraisal report

…… Dating back to 12 years ago ……

—- The last stage of the Great Talent War —-

 

I, Meria Wenzel was alone.

Before I knew it, my parents had already passed away.
I lived with my grandmother, but one day, I went to my friends house to play, and on the way back, I saw a meteor shower. When I looked at it absentmindedly, it started to get brighter, covering the whole sky. Then, along with the dazzling flash, a thunderous sound resounded at the town. The blast blew me away.
At the same time, the house I was living became rubbles, and by the next day, the country where I lived, disappeared from the map.

After that, I stayed under a gloomy bridge and scavenged trash cans on the road.

I lost everything due to the war.
Something like a war orphan.

I was 9 years old when I almost got kidnapped by a slave dealer with a sack.
But the slave dealer didn’t manage to put me into the sack.
Because he suddenly spitted blood and fell to the ground. That was due to my 「ability」.

I unconsciously acquired the power of a Talent without knowing what it is.
It was a Talent with the power of 『emitting diseases』. And I decide to call it 【One who emits diseases (Morbus Creator)】, but the war house that knew about my power, captured me, and I was sent to the frontline as a soldier when I am 10 years old.

Just like that–moving from place to place……I fought at 「Antarctica」.

Where we the disposable pieces were sent to, was the war in the polar regions.

Without any supplies, soldiers just fought until they die.
Almost all of my allies have died.

The enemies are the Talent Users who are moving in the blizzard.
They can be called as pure 「Monsters」.

An 「Explosion Sound」 user who can blow away anything within the radius of 1 kilometer.
An insane woman who gets delighted as people are being stabbed by the rain of ice spears.
A skinny man who can melt humans like a cotton candy as he melted two thirds of Antarctica.

They are strong, but they won’t kill the opponent right away.
They enjoy torturing in the battlefield rather than massacring.

I don’t know whether it’s good luck or back luck that I’m still alive with no wounds.
Instead, they might be letting me live as 「I was weak」.

I didn’t stop attacking.
My sight became blurred as I have gone pass my limits, and my legs were starting to not listen to me.
I can hear a bombing sound from afar, and a gunshot and scream close by.

The scream gradually gets closer to me.

Ah, I am going to die here.
My life is ending in just 12 years.

Thinking so, it was strange that the tears which I have forgotten, started to flow, but those tears were froze by the low temperature.

My body lost its strength as I became aware of death, and I fell to the frozen ground–

「Hey, are you alright?」

But suddenly, I was embraced by a big arm.
What supported me was an unfamiliar Asian man.

「Good grief, even your face is full of wounds. Doing this kind of thing to a kid…」

The unfamiliar black-haired man put me down on the ground slowly.

「……Wait here. I’ll stop it」

The man said that and the blizzard stopped suddenly.
Revealing the enemies.

……It’s absurd to count their numbers.

The countless figures of people filling up the view, were moving.

I was already surrounded by several hundreds of monsters.
The possibility of surviving this battlefield had already became zero.

What is that man trying to do in this kind of situation?

「Stop」?
What is he saying?
Jumping into that swarm of monsters is a suicidal act.

Absolutely no……he must not go……
If you can move your body, you should run as fast as possible!

While receiving such gaze from me, the man smiled slightly–

「Well then, see you later」

Saying that, he turned his back on me……
The man disappeared as if it was an illusion.

……………He disappeared?

…Ah, I see.

That man was from my dream. My unrealistic wish that can never come true, appeared in the form of illusion.

I will be teared apart by that swarm of monsters after this.
That is the reality. An unshakable future. A hopeless future.

The war ending?
Such thing will never happen.

The moment I thought so, an explosion sound resounds at the same time, and every Talent Users in my sight, 「blew away as if they were punched」.

 

◇◇◇

 

After that, I knew that his name is Kurono Kagenobu.
『【One who manipulates time (Chrono Operator)】S-LEVEL 5』.

That was the name of the man who ended the war in the polar regions.

 

◇◇◇

 

—- 10 years after the end of the Great Talent War —-

—- National Talent Research Center —-

 

「Hai, next」

I, Kurono Meria is currently, the infirmary doctor in the National Teihen High School, and also the appraiser in the National Talent Research Center. Both are due to my demands.

Normally, it is impossible, but with Teihen High School’s principal being the mediator, I was permitted to have two posts.

The current me is in an unimaginable position when thinking about my past self.
12 years ago, Kurono Kagenobu picked me up at Antarctica, and brought me to this Asian country. I gave the authority and army quite some trouble.

My Talent evaluation is 『【Morbus Creator】S-LEVEL 3』.
An ability that only 「emits diseases」. It can’t heal. A Talent that only serves as a harm. My existence is just like a living weapon of destruction.

On top of that, a foreigner with no relatives, unknown nationality, and unknown birth.
Naturally, I was regarded as dangerous by the country’s authority and the army. For the public order and citizen’s sake, there were many opinions of 「culling」 me.
And the army decided to cull me in secret. I thought that it was a matter of course, so I accepted it.

However, that guy interrupted.
Despite the majority, Kurono himself, continued to oppose my disposal. I heard that he stopped the execution when it was forced.

At the end, 「I made her my daughter. With that, she’s a kin of mine. Do you have any problems?」, he settled it with those words. When I was confined in the isolated cell, he came and said 「You, be my daughter」 suddenly. At that time, I didn’t understand what he meant, but…

…That’s enough recalling the past.

Today, I am scheduled to appraise 3 middle school students who became aware of their Talents after the earthquake.

There is one that got me interested. It is the male student who 「feel nothing even after putting on a hot pot on his head」 which is entering the room after this.

According to the person in charge of interview, the powers of his Talent which he’s aware of are

「Heating up a cold bath to lukewarm」
「Heating up a cold oden」
「Changing the temperature to a comfortable one in a humid room」
「The ice cream on his hand will never melt even during the summer」

All those phenomenon.
In other words, his Talent manifested to make things convenient 「outside of his consciousness」.
And he can 「heat」 and 「cool」 something freely.

When I heard of the report, I reached to a conclusion.
And I felt a chill by the conclusion.

He certainly has the same 「Manipulates Principle」 type of a very special Talent as my foster father……A holder of a 『【Special】Principle』 Talent.

If he himself realizes about the Talent’s essence, he can certainly reach Level 5. On the contrary, it could also grow to a Level 6 <Disaster>……「Threat to the world」.

Now is still fine. At best, he can only 「heat」 and 「cool」 foods and drinks. Because the person himself misunderstood that it’s 「such ability」.

But, what if he realizes his essence? What if he realizes 「how much」 can his Talent heat and cool? No one can probably stop him. If he wishes for it……he has the power to destroy or freeze this planet freely. It all depends on his nature.

And what if the country and army acknowledge his Talent’s usefulness? Naturally, he would be used as a war potential. Regarding Talents, citizens can never defy the country’s decision. This country made such absolute laws.

It is the worst to be sent to the battlefield as a machine for killing. I don’t want anyone to experience such thing anymore.

But it might be better and yet worst just by living. If he is seen as a threat, he might be culled as a「potential threat」.

Just like myself.

……It was when I was thinking about it.
Suddenly, the appraisal room’s door was opened loudly.

「I’m in your care!!!」

That Talent User, 「Serizawa Atsushi」 entered the appraisal room.
While concealing my discomposure, I decided to tell him about his Talent appraisal and observed his reaction.

The boy in front of me, 「Serizawa Atsushi」 is an ordinary boy no matter how I look at him.
The world could be in danger depending on him?
As I hear what he’s saying, I start to think that those are all foolish delusions.

Besides, his eyes are somewhat similar to Kurono’s.
Is it because they are the same 『Principle』 Talent Users?

He looks happy with life energy overflowing from him.

However, I was made to realize that my thoughts were naive upon hearing his next question.

「Um! How can I use my Talent, 『【Thermo Operator】』, to protect the country as a 「war potential」?」

He said it.
Can I be a 「war potential」?

My spine froze suddenly,
If he is sent to the battlefield, and if he realizes his abilities……No, just realizing it is still fine. What if he broke his heart in the battlefield and his hostility turned towards people in a wide range?
Then, something even more terrible than the 「Level 6 of 10 years ago」 will happen.
That must be prevented no matter what.
I need to shut every possible sprouts.

「Haa… Do you really mean it?」

Therefore, I was desperate. To deny his wish. While holding down the trembling of my body, I acted with the best I can do. Now, at this time, it may be the turning point.

「Eh?…Ah, yes…pretty much. I have always admired one of the heroes who participated in the Great War! I also thought that I want to be like that」

He said the word “heroes”.
Hero wish. The desire to become stronger. That will push him into the battlefield.

Therefore, I deny it as if crushing it intentionally.

「Heroes? Is your head alright? Do you even know what they did? They are just a group of monsters who pulverized mountains, punching nuclear missiles, sinking islands, and changed the world’s topographic map. You call them heroes? Don’t make me laugh」

My voice might be shaking. But I can’t afford to stop. For him to not hold any hope in something like the battlefield, I crush his desire with carefully chosen words.

You don’t need to go to such place. Even without braving such danger, you can still live in this era, this country. As long as you don’t realize your power.

「Let me ask you this. With the power that can only change the temperature of drinks… Who do you intent to fight with?」

「……」

The boy looks downwards with a slightly sad expression.
I might have said too much to a boy of this age.
But I must first, make him misrecognize that 「his power is only a Level 1 Talent」.
At the same time, I must also report the same to the country.

「Your power is indeed rare, but…it’s more inferior to a microwave oven」

I denied him as much as I can.

「I see. Well, it’s unfortunate that it’s not a very useful power!」

Even after my sharp words, the boy stands up.

「Un. Not useful at all」

But I didn’t loosen my words.
A short silence.

The boy looked to be thinking of something, and he said this.

「T-Then, it’s okay for me to return to my normal life, right?」

However, I also denied that.

「Even though it’s like that, a Talent is still a Talent. From now on, your life…Ahem, your ability will be placed under the administration of the country. From this spring, you will be attending the Talent training school in the imperial capital」

You will be targeted by many people in the future. If people know about your huge potential, you will certainly be used by the country and army. There are people who will try to kill you if they consider you as a threat.

At least, until you become an adult.
You must be protected by someone.

……Just like how I was.

And I told him.

「As the result of the appraisal, it’s decided that you will be going to the F rank Teihen High School. By the way, due to the laws, you have no rights to object」

And I wrote 「Level 1」 and stamped 「Special Protection Target」on his appraisal report.

From now on, I will continue to lie to him. And also to the country.
As a result, if he can’t live with his own power, I will take responsibility for it.

I don’t care even if he resents me. That is my decision. That is my resolution.
If that connects his way of life.
Because that is the way of life taught by Otou-san.

 

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Character File 008

NAME: Kurono Meria (Meria Wenzel)

CLASS: 【Morbus Creator】S-LEVEL 3

The blond infirmary doctor with blue eyes. In charge of teaching physical education. 24 years old. Serve as the appraiser in the Talent Research Center.
During the Great Talent War, she lost her parents when she was young. So-called war orphan. Picked up by a war house, and experience the war as a soldier. She was picked up by Kurono when she was on the verge of dying in the battlefield. Currently, Kurono’s adopted daughter.
Her Talent 『【Morbus Creator】』 can create and emit every diseases. She can even disseminate it in the air or generate it in a part of human body freely. From such image of 『disease』, many people kept a distance from her. Currently, she is sealing this power.

<Skill>

Infection

Necrosis

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Character File 009

NAME: Kurono Kagenobu

CLASS: 【Chrono Operator】S-LEVEL 5

Present principal of Teihen High School. 43 years old, single. The key figure of the end of war. A person who knows about the「truth of the end of war」. Currently, his power is restricted drastically by some kind of reason. If you express him in status, it is 「Might 999 Domestic Affair 0 Diplomacy 1」. A person who swings in extreme might.
His Talent 『【Chrono Operator】』 can accelerate and decelerate time. As for the range, he can manipulate it freely. For example, he can make himself 「fast」, make the surroundings 「slow」, and even artificially「stop time」. His usual tactics is 「Stop time and punch the enemy until the enemy surrender (or faint)」. A very plain way of fighting, but by using the time difference due to the acceleration and deceleration, he can tear everything easily. A cheating-class of the「Strongest Sword」.

<Skill>

Acceleration

Slowdown

Extend

Stop

Chronos Tear

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DATA

Level 6 <Disaster> World Destruction-class Threat

「One who becomes a threat to the world just by existing」. Appointed as a special extermination target by the World Talent Association. There is only one example in the past, but it is being concealed from the society.
「The existence which ended the world war–No, the world war cannot help but to be ended. Now, it is asleep」

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