Chapter 34: Humanity’s Future (Patreon)

Kenshou informed the other station lords of the situation.

These men had once ruled their own territories and commanded considerable authority.

Now, after hearing his analysis, every one of them looked grim.

They were intelligent enough to understand what the current situation meant.

Aragane Station had become humanity’s final stronghold.

If it fell as well, civilization across this region would effectively come to an end.

Kenshou drew a deep breath.

There was no longer any room for hesitation.

They needed the Divine Lord.

He gathered the surviving station leaders and led them to Dio’s residence.

The moment they arrived at the gates, Kenshou dropped to his knees.

His hands pressed against the ground.

His forehead followed.

In the deepest kneeling bow he knew, he called out,

“I, Kenshou Yomogawa, humbly request an audience with the Divine Lord!”

The other lords exchanged startled glances.

They looked at Kenshou’s almost humiliatingly reverent posture.

Then they looked toward the two enormous figures standing beside the gate.

Sandersonia and Marigold stood with their arms folded like guardian statues.

Their nearly three-meter height and overwhelming presence forced even these formerly powerful rulers to lower their eyes.

They were reluctant.

But they were refugees now.

They had no position from which to make demands.

One by one, they knelt beside Kenshou.

Sandersonia looked down at them.

“Wait here. I’ll report your arrival.”

She turned and entered the residence.

Inside the courtyard, she found Stussy seated beneath the veranda, casually reading a book taken from one of the shelves.

Sandersonia explained the situation.

Stussy did not even look up.

“Let them wait.”

Sandersonia nodded.

She returned to the gate.

“The Divine Lord is occupied. Remain here until you are summoned.”

Then she folded her arms again and fell silent.

And so a group of station lords, led by Kenshou Yomogawa, remained kneeling beneath the afternoon sun.

Hancock sat upon a branch of a large tree inside the courtyard.

Her long legs swung lazily beneath her as she looked through the leaves at the rows of people outside.

“There are a lot of them…”

Stussy appeared beside her.

“They’ve all come begging Saint Dio to save them.”

Then she looked Hancock up and down.

“Speaking of which, Hancock, you really have been growing more striking lately.”

Hancock proudly tossed her long black hair over one shoulder.

“Of course.”

The sun continued crawling across the sky.

Heat poured mercilessly over the kneeling lords.

Large beads of sweat rolled down their faces and struck the dry earth.

Some shifted impatiently.

Others muttered quiet complaints about whether Kenshou had lost his mind.

But when they saw that Kenshou remained completely still, they could only grit their teeth and endure.

Eventually, Sandersonia returned.

“You may enter.”

Relief swept through the group.

They struggled to stand.

Several had been kneeling so long that their legs were numb, forcing them to stumble before finding their balance.

No one dared complain.

Following Kenshou, they entered the residence.

The main hall was empty.

Dio had not yet arrived.

Still, waiting indoors was far preferable to kneeling under the blazing sun.

The lords found places to sit.

Some wiped sweat from their foreheads.

Others whispered nervously among themselves.

After a short while, footsteps sounded from the inner hall.

Dio emerged wearing his usual white outer robe with Jörmungandr resting behind his waist.

Ayame followed him.

She looked somewhat tired, but her expression was composed and serious.

Dio walked to the highest seat in the room and sat down.

One arm rested casually on the side.

His gaze passed across the assembled leaders.

Every person immediately rose.

Then, almost as one, they knelt.

Kenshou positioned himself at the front and pressed his forehead to the floor.

Ayame moved to Dio’s side and stood with her hands folded neatly before her.

Whatever nervousness she might once have shown around him had diminished considerably over the past several days.

She now understood her place beside him far better.

Dio looked across the kneeling leaders.

It was time to decide the future of this world.