My declaration was met with uproar.
As the arena was silent from the jaw-dropping clash that had just occurred, my voice was easily carried by the wind to everyone in the audience.
Needless to say, teams of security proceeded to rush around the entire colosseum building, searching frantically for any sign of explosives or danger of any kind, but of course...
"Don't bother trying to find them, because you can't, but I assure you―they are most certainly there."
―If I am going to suddenly announce the existence of bombs, then I'd be sure to hide them in a place they would never be found, wouldn't I?
It seems rather straightforward to me.
...Although, these words will most probably fall on deaf ears.
"Now then," I looked between the two lowly animals in front of me―the dog and the pig―and spoke with a subtle smile behind my mask.
"I hope you two have had a fun time playing until this point, but I'm afraid playtime is now over."
The little ones have had their showtime, but from now on, the spotlight was mine.
"Before that, though... What exactly did you hope to accomplish by being here today?"
I asked them both a question.
The answer was simple, but I was curious as to what they thought.
These two were in this situation because of themselves, obviously, but one might argue that the root cause was me. And, while I would disagree with that statement, I can see why someone might think that―the both of them are related to me in some capacity, after all.
Avon Laura was the first of the two to speak, "...You know perfectly well why I am here, and I believe there is no need for further discussion on the matter. You can choose to submit peacefully, else I'll resort to bringing you by force."
―The Wardens want to capture and incarcerate me, just like they did long ago.
Next, it was Vahara's turn to threaten, "Imma make a stew outta you, kid! Plan's to getcha, dead or alive, so what's it matter, huh?!"
―The Order wants to use me as a tool to accomplish its goals, or kill me if it's not possible.
Both of them want their hands on me, but they can't both have me.
If one of them cannot have me, they'll simply try to just take me out of the equation entirely instead―just so nobody else can get me. Though, the Wardens might be a bit more forgiving in that regard, as my death is the second-to-last thing they want.
In any case, those were their answers, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for.
"Wow, you guys are stupid, huh? I'm asking why you even thought you'd be able to accomplish anything by coming here today."
It was obvious, at least to me, that their actions were useless.
Since they knew what I was capable of, shouldn't they think about it a little more?
"Well, whatever. You guys are just underlings anyway, so it'd be a bit much to expect something from you, even if it's a small thing like that. But, come on; let's make things less boring, okay?"
"...If you're growing bored, why don't you just quietly come back with me? You can start by throwing away that detonator in your pocket first."
Avon Laura gave a suggestion, but I thought it was a rather questionable one.
"What? You've regressed from not using your brain at all to using it in a detrimental way. Why on Earth would I do that? If I go with you, boredom is the very first thing I'd want to kill myself over, and that's not to mention the hundreds of other things you guys do that just suck."
Then, I added.
"Oh, and explosives are one of the only fun things left in this world, so throwing away my detonator would be counter-intuitive, you know?"
Furthermore, this thin stick in my hand is the one thing stopping those two from charging at me head-on right now.
It's not like them doing that would change anything anyway, but it would spoil the surprise.
Avon Laura doesn't want innocent bystanders to get mixed into her matters, and it's no question that the Fighting Festival experiencing a terrorist attack is the last thing Vahara wants as a native of this place.
This was something I couldn't understand about humanity, no matter how many times I asked―why do something so irrational like let your precious target get away scot-free, all for the mere sake of saving a few lives?
The two fighters, who were just now at each other's throats, looked at me in unison, their grim expressions revealing their weakness for all to see.
"...However, if thou art so desperate―I may present to you a chance of salvation."
To make it fun, I propose a game of sorts.
Or perhaps, it would be more fitting to call it a simple challenge.
Avon Laura and Vahara stared at me voraciously, their ears perked as they awaited eagerly for my next words.
"―Just catch me."
That was all they had to do.
"Catch me, and everything will be over, right?"
You can do whatever you like to me at that point, whether it be taking me alive or killing me on the spot. Isn't a perfect opportunity like that what these two want the most?
Although they knew that I was not to be trusted in any way, they had no choice but to do what I say for the moment if it meant saving these innocent and harmless, yet terrified civilians cowering in the audience.
And so...
"...Alright."
"Fine. Ya piece of scum-suckin' shit. I was gonna catch an' beat the shit outta you anyway."
―From this moment on, fate had been sealed.
"Well, give it your best shot!"
Closing my mouth, I waited to see what their decision would be, though I could already take a well-educated guess.
"Oi. I'm gonna bash that fucker's skull in. Don't dare to get in my way." Vahara claimed as much, only to receive an unexpected reply just as he was about to move.
"...I don't recommend rushing in blindly."
He stopped, snorting derisively as he shook off the warning.
"Hah! Ya think Imma team up with a bitch like you? Fuck off. Or what, is it that ya wanna go first? Go ahead, take his attention off me and see where that road takes ya."
"...Excuse you, but I'm staying here. I do not quite fancy a swift death when I know it can be easily avoided. Don't go complaining in the afterlife after you ignored my warning."
"Suit yourself. What's that punk gonna do to me anyway, fire a gun? Hah!"
It seems Vahara thought he was fine because his immense speed could dodge a bullet. Did he assume that a gun was the most threatening weapon I could use against him?
But, although it was a difficult thing for him, he should have tried to use his brain a bit more.
"Here I come, ya son of a bitch-!"
However, it appeared that there was no time left for thinking, as the boar jumped at me quicker than I could react.
"I've got ya now, bastar---"
BOOM--!
The instant he put a foot on the ground after coming at me, I witnessed his charred-black body fly through the air from the blast and violently land close to where he began, rolling over to Avon Laura's feet like a ragdoll.
Just like a lamb-- er, pig, to the slaughter.
―If all I had was a gun, then I wouldn't be so confident.
Isn't it common sense?
After all, even though I do favour firearms quite a bit, why would something insignificant like that be the most powerful weapon in my arsenal?
Hundreds of thousands of lives hang in the balance, yet you show me a half-hearted attempt like this?
At the end of the day, a pig is a pig, I suppose. No matter how intelligent it may seem when compared to other animals, it is still an animal of sub-human intellect itself when it comes down to it.
Unparallelled incompetence.
Turning to the one remaining competitor, Avon Laura, I asked, "Now, would you like to give it a go?"
Facial expression unchanging, she replied, "I am not a fool. I knew from the beginning that approaching your quadrant of the arena would be a fatal error, and I also know that you knew that I knew it."
Welp. There really was no fooling her when it came to that kind of thing, was there?
I shrugged. "As expected of someone hailing from the same "hometown", I suppose. Like birds of a feather in the end, are we not? But, I am concerned for your mental wellbeing; you already knew that the pig would suicide by trying to catch me, so why did you bother cautioning it?"
She replied to me, a slight crease making itself noticeable in her brows, "Do not rope me in with the likes of you. You are less of a human than the bacteria hidden deep within the Earth's crust; something akin to a monster, but even that word is too tame to describe what exactly you are."
"Sheesh, that's harsh. When have I ever done something to you?"
"You may not have done something to me directly, but it is undeniable that your presence is nothing more than a plague that should be eradicated in this world. You have committed countless, heinous crimes in all three of the past, present and future, and the severity of your atrocities only continue to increase every day."
Oh, but isn't that unfair?
What you call an atrocity, I would call rational justice.
Anyhow, just because something is or isn't listed as a crime in a nonsensical rulebook, that doesn't mean that it actually should or shouldn't be listed as a crime in reality.
See the world through a lens of rationality and you will come to understand that human lives are in fact nowhere close to being as high in value as society deems them to be.
"So what, do you change the future to try and save lives? Is it because you get bored of seeing the same predetermined fate, day after day? To make you feel powerful, or for some other reason?"
"...I do not bother with changing the future merely to satisfy my ego; I change what I think should be changed for the overall betterment of this world."
"Oh yeah? But isn't that a skewed vision? What you think might be better for the world might not actually be better for the world. In that sense, wouldn't I be the best candidate for determining such things? Of course, I don't care about something like 'the betterment of the world', but you get my point; that's not your job, nor your decision to make."
"I don't claim for it to be my job, but I also know for a fact that it isn't something that would fit someone like you, even after a million years pass."
"Hm. Fair point. A million years passing wouldn't increase my care for the inhabitants of this planet in the slightest. In that case, I guess one could argue that you would do a better job. Still, you saw what that pig was like; did you really think a brainless idiot like that would listen to your advice?"
"You know as well as I that the 'destined future' is only one of many possibilities. That fact has been proven time and time again, both back then and now."
"Indeed... Speaking of which, I take it you were involved in what happened back then? You know, during the incident that led to my escape and all that. Actually, the reason I disposed of the pig first was because I wanted to ask you a few questions about it."
"There is no need for you to ask anyone any questions about anything. Don't even try fooling me with some low-level bait like that."
...I'm speaking the truth, you know? It's not like the only thing I do is lie.
"Oh... Were you not aware? That's a little awkward..." Scratching my head, I wondered what I would do if she wouldn't answer my questions, but at least it was convenient to know that the Wardens knew nothing about my condition.
It's something I actually kinda needed her to do, but it was a little embarrassing to ask.
Really... I would really be caught in a quagmire if she decided not to.
Seeing the hint of puzzlement on her face, I revealed a secret I had hesitated to tell for a long time.
"...Ahah, well... You see... I actually... forgot... about what happened."