Epilogue

The search for remaining vestiges of Aeriesai took a whole week and multiple nations’ involvement. While every last remaining power enhancement or broadcast pill out in the wild got accounted for, and the U.S. and Japan gave a binational broadcast to the whole world about what happened, Haruki spent a week detoxing from the chaos of the past six months. He played video games, listened to music, and let the rest of the heroes do the hard work.

Sugawara Pharmaceuticals was seized by the Japanese government and Kenshi’s parents accepted a plea deal where they got to keep their private fortunes as long as they agreed never to become executives in a company again. Kenshi, for his bravery, and his new status as a super, received a personal act by the Diet to be an adult despite his minority age. He signed a multi-year contract with Kensuke Masukawa and began accepting his own money. He refused to forgive his parents for their bigoted stance against him but did not cut them out of his life altogether.

America, willing to avoid public humiliation on the world stage, declared that Daniel Areston had developed the clone body on his own with the help of a biotech firm the CIA cooked up just for this excuse. Absolutely no one bought it, but it worked, nonetheless.

Kensuke got more influence in government than ever.

Haruki returned to hero duty after he’d gotten enough rest to remove months of war against mad gods and monsters from his system. Working alongside Kenshi filled him with joy. He didn’t know how he felt about the boy being in love with him, but that was a hurdle they’d deal with if and when it became an issue. Right now, they both enjoyed being friends and decided not to complicate matters.

After work, one day, Haruki returned to base to see Kensuke and Matomaru conversing with a tall woman in a three-piece suit. His eyes narrowed when they saw each other. “Queen Haptandra.” He didn’t care about being deferential, he was too full of annoyance that this relic of the life he’d left behind had returned.

“You did us a tremendous favor,” Haptandra told him. “We were completely blind to Aeriesai’s plot, and if he’d managed to destroy the Spirit of Earth, we’d have had a full-scale war of the cosmos on our hands.”

He folded his arms. “Why didn’t the gods handle this? Why weren’t you watching him?” Kenshi poked Haruki, but he persisted. “Why did I have to deal with this?”

She sighed as though it were obvious. “Because we simply don’t have the manpower given our involvement in other cosmic affairs.”

Haruki rolled his eyes. “Okay, so what do you want from me?”

She sighed a laugh. “You might’ve left the outside cosmos behind, but it hasn’t left you.”

His arms dropped to his sides. “You mean the Earth is still under threat.”

She gave an ‘oh, really,’ expression. “What do you mean, ‘still’?” She gestured around. “Aeriesai was the only one intent on Earth before. Now that the Spirit of Earth is awake once again, the entire cosmos is aware of it.”

Haruki could feel Kensuke’s irritation. It wasn’t half of his irritation. “How long do we have?”

“Maybe years,” she said, “maybe decades. I don’t know.” She pointed. “And that’s why I’m here. You have to prepare for when, not if, you’re attacked again.”

Kenshi put a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll face it together.”

Haruki let out a frustrated cry. “Alright, fine, but the gods owe me.”

Kensuke and Haruki exchanged a glance. Both the elderly statesman and the teenage hero knew what that look meant. Their break would end much sooner than later.

“I almost miss when international politics was the worst I had to worry about.”