Rei Ao certainly never intended to indiscriminately wipe out all life in that world.
What he wanted was a sort of "purge." Yet he had no desire to sift through who was good and who was bad.
That was why he had invited Seitenshi into the group.
Rei Ao: "@Seitenshi, whether some people get to live depends on you."
Seitenshi: "Me?"
Rei Ao gave her a choice: hold a public, real-name vote. The question: whether or not each person was willing to support granting Cursed Children legal protection—human rights.
Then gather all who agreed in one place, and those people could survive at the end.
Those willing to stand up for the Cursed Children under their real names, Rei Ao would be allowed to live.
He wasn't any impartial, just deity of righteousness—just someone with overwhelming power who found that world repulsive, enough that he planned a purge.
If people thought he was haughty or unfair, so be it. If they resented him, they could come and try to kill him. Otherwise, he'd continue as he pleased.
Rei Ao: "Friendly reminder: if you're going to do it, follow exactly what I say. Don't try anything extra. Of course, you're also free not to believe I can destroy the world and do nothing. For now, let my group members see for themselves what human nature is really like in this world."
"…"
Seitenshi wore a heavy expression: to believe or not? She pressed her lips together. She couldn't simply accept everything at face value. As the Tokyo Area's highest ruler, she wouldn't lightly make such a choice.
She decided to contact a few others privately, hoping to gather them, talk in person, and then figure out what to do. For her, that was all she could manage, especially after seeing Rei Ao's broadcast.
Meanwhile, the livestream continued.
Everyone had already witnessed the wealthy "noble" district at the city center, inhabited by many officials and wealthy folk, with strong security.
People there had plenty of leisure. Next, Rei Ao and his group moved outward to show them more of the real conditions.
The farther one got from the center, the more oppressive the atmosphere became.
Obviously, it looked less free and easy. People moved quickly and warily. And the closer they got to the outskirts, the more Cursed Children appeared.
Ragged clothes, children begging in the street, eyes empty and numb, some even disabled. None were well-dressed—none enjoying life. It was a stark, heart-wrenching reality.
Those watching the stream found themselves increasingly repelled by the world of Black Bullet.
Mai: "What—? Why are people here so cold and cruel, refusing to spare even a child?"
Mai gasped in disbelief, covering her mouth. Seeing the Cursed Children's suffering, seeing how humanity there treated them, was suffocating. She wasn't the only one.
Hardly anyone could comprehend the way humans exploited the Cursed Children to fight Gastrea, treating them as disposable "tools" to kill Gastrea until they got infected and mutated in turn—then replaced with new ones.
Such a pitiful reality disturbed them all deeply.
Rei Ao: "That's just how this world is. In their eyes, it doesn't matter if these Cursed Children die—there are always more. Most 'normal' humans see them as monsters, or basically Gastrea themselves, not as people. Otherwise, there'd be no need for Seitenshi's attempts to pass laws granting them human rights. It's pretty much assumed that Cursed Children have no rights. They're regarded as the source of everything that ruins a happy family. Whenever normal folks spot them, they beat them without hesitation."
Above a pedestrian overpass, the livestream camera panned to a scene that clearly struck Rei Ao's memory.
Everyone watching saw a crowd flowing by, and a young, blindfolded, white-haired girl quietly singing a lovely tune.
A battered little bowl lay in front of her, along with a sign on her chest saying she needed money to save her younger sister. She was evidently begging or busking.
Clink.
Something fell into her bowl.
"Thank you!"
The girl instantly voiced sincere thanks, assuming it was the pleasant sound of a coin.
But as the livestream viewers realized the truth, they fell silent, or seethed in fury.
Megumi Kato: "How…awful…"
Sui: "This is making me angry."
Saeko Busujima: "I never thought I'd feel such a strong urge to kill out of rage until now."
Erica: "Tch. Scum."
Bibi Dong: "I agree with Rei Ao's view: this world might be beyond saving."
They had already felt appalled at the notion of using child soldiers like disposable items. But this scene truly ignited the group's anger. The "coin" dropped in her bowl was not a coin—just a pull-tab from a soda can. That was why it rang like a coin.
"Hahaha! Look at how stupid she is."
The man who tossed the trash was striding away, laughing loudly.
"Shh, keep it down or she'll hear," his companion muttered.
The first man sneered, "Heh, so what? She's just a Cursed Child."
"Uh…right," the friend murmured, then fell silent. Because in their minds, it was only a Cursed Child. No one would care if she died.
The girl was only blind, not deaf. She could hear them perfectly well, understanding what had happened.
A trace of sorrow flickered over her features before she forced a gentle smile and continued singing. She had to keep singing if she wanted a chance to save her sister.
"Why are they like that?!"
Hovering high above, Enju Aihara balled her fists in outrage. "Is it fun to toy with others? And a little girl at that!"
Emilia bristled too. Originally, she didn't condone Rei Ao's plan for genocide—she saw it as akin to a Demon King. Yet seeing everything along the way, she felt her resolve waver.
…
Kisara Tendou looked grim, sensing that this world might truly be finished.
~~~
400 Powerstone Bonus Chapter!