Victory in Seoul

Toko Owari was four years old. She was currently at home with her grandmother, waiting impatiently for her parents to return.

This wait was especially torturous because they would be returning with the newest member of their family, Toko’s new sibling

Toko was very excited about having a sibling. She talked about it all the time, loved putting her ear up to her mother’s stomach, and even spent her allowance on toys for them.

After what to her felt like an eternity, she heard the door unlock and open. She ran as fast as she could, seeing her parents, and in her mother’s arms was…

“Hi, sweetie.” Toko’s mother spoke softly before kneeling down to show her the peacefully sleeping baby. “This is Keitaro, your little brother.”

Toko gasped and her eyes sparkled. “So cute!”

“Would you like to hold him?”

“Can I!?”

“Of course.”

Carefully, Toko’s mother passed Keitaro to her.

“Hi, Keitaro… I’m you big sister…” As Toko cradled her baby brother in her arms and looked at his tiny, adorable little face, she felt a new emotion swell within her. An overwhelming need to keep him safe.

***

Keitaro stood on the balcony of Seoul's Presidential Palace, looking out at his newly conquered city. He should’ve been proud of his accomplishment, yet the feeling wasn’t even bittersweet.

He didn’t regret his actions, but that didn’t change the fact that he had caused immeasurable devastation to this city.

At the very least, the occupation was going decently. Keitaro had wanted to allocate extra funds towards Seoul’s reconstruction, but after an argument with Tokugawa, it became clear that the budget just didn’t allow it.

“Keitaro…” It was the soft voice of his sister.

Keitaro looked over his shoulder at her. “Hey…” Going back to gazing at the city, he said, “You know… This is the third time the Japanese have taken over Seoul.” He leaned forward. “I’m starting to think it’s destiny or something…”

“Maybe it is.” A familiar, high-pitched voice rang out.

Whipping around, Keitaro saw them. Sitting on the railing was Nulla.

“What are you doing here!?” Keitaro asked.

“I’m here to congratulate you two. Conquering a city is no easy feat. And that fight between you and Yu-jin was crazy.” Nulla looked at Toko. “Your Rewind really saved the day, Toko. Yu-jin’s face was priceless.”

Toko looked down, remembering the terror from that encounter. But Keitaro was upset.

“This isn’t some spectacle, you know.”

“Come on, lighten up, Keitaro. You know you got the first and second kill in the game. That’s pretty good.”

While he reacted initially with anger, the more he dwelled on it, the more regret he felt. Yu-jin was one thing, but Ha-eun… That wasn’t even a fight… The pit in his stomach morphed into a black hole as the memories drifted back…

It started with her bodyguard, Bari, who, while a decent warrior, was no match for both Musashi and Tomoe. Still, she fought to the death to protect her lady.

But Ha-eun herself was immobilized by fear, unable to even use her Ability to defend herself… He’d never forget the look of terror on her face as he destroyed her Core…

Nulla rolled their eyes at Keitaro’s gloominess. “Man, you are such a stick in the mud. I know killing is bad, but be real. You’re all animals at the end of the day. Do you think a lion cries every time it kills a gazelle?”

“That’s obviously not the same thing!”

“How is it not? The lion kills the gazelle to survive. You killed Yu-jin and Ha-eun to survive. That’s the beginning and the end of it.”

Keitaro tightened his fists, hating Nulla’s flippancy, but they weren’t wrong. This was a battle to the death. If he didn’t fight then both him and Toko would be dead. Although that begs the question…

“Nulla, what happens when we win?”

Toko looked at her brother apprehensively. This was something she wanted to know, but was also scared to find out.

“What are you talking about? You become the rulers of Kosma.”

“Yeah, but what exactly does that mean?”

Rubbing their chin, Nulla thought about what to say. “What do you think Kosma is?”

“A city?”

“Yes, but it’s much more than that.” Jumping off the railing and onto the balcony, they continued, “Kosma is… a manifestation of Earth’s soul.”

“What?”

“The old world you once knew is long gone.”

“What do you mean ‘gone’?”

“It ceased existing, and what’s left of it became Kosma.”

Toko and Keitaro were both equally confused.

“That doesn’t even make sense.” Keitaro waved his arm. “You're telling me the entire world disappeared and Kosma sprouted out from nothing?”

“Not nothing, my friend. Each city in Kosma could be considered a materialization of its nation’s essence. So the Tokyo here isn’t just a city, it’s the very soul of the Japanese people.”

“The soul of the Japanese people? So is this like an afterlife or a dream or something?”

“Not quite. Kosma is just a world where these metaphysical ideas, particularly culture, have come into existence.”

“Okay, but then if everything in this Tokyo came from the ‘idea’ of Japan then what are me and Toko doing here? And what does any of this have to do with winning the game?”

“Well, each Knight and Maiden are the representatives of their nation’s soul and the last true connection to the old physical reality that once was. And because the Knights and Maidens are of the old world, they can act as a kind of bridge, linking Kosma to a new world. In short, whichever Knight and Maiden are left standing can dictate how the next world will be created.”

Toko silently gasped and Keitaro shouted, “What!? That’s like becoming a god!”

Nulla smirked. “I suppose it is. The entire world in the palm of your hand. Even I’m a bit tantalized.” Nulla looked at the sky wistfully. “Anyway, try not to dwell on it too much. All too often people get wrapped up in a dream and forget about how to actually accomplish it.”

Recreating the world in one’s own image… Keitaro always wanted things to be different, but becoming a god? That was far beyond what he could’ve ever imagined, and his sister was even more anxious over it. Looking back to ask Nulla another question, Keitaro stood with his mouth agape to find the child-like entity gone.