Chapter 36: The Self-Defense Force's Pride

Commander-in-Chief Hayata couldn't accept the man standing before him—Gojo. It was the Self-Defense Force’s duty to protect the Japanese people.

Of course, rescuing citizens affected by disaster was part of that.

But this man… he was using powers beyond reality, effortlessly destroying monsters the Self-Defense Force couldn’t even touch.

It wasn’t human… this abnormal world producing an abnormal human… or maybe he wasn’t even human at all.

Once again, he’d used his abnormal power to heal the injured.

If that power were turned against us… humans… we’d have to stop him—no matter what. Even if it meant killing him.

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"I appreciate your efforts… but healing with magic is an unverified medical procedure. You were warned. Using magic anyway is clearly illegal. You're under arrest. Resist, and I’ll shoot!"

"You’re gonna shoot me with that gun? Think it’ll work!?"

"This bullet’s made of demon steel. Even a monster would fall with a direct hit at close range. Don’t resist."

"Please stop!! He saved us!!"

"He healed the Prime Minister too! Why are you pointing guns at him!?"

The one defending me was a Self-Defense Force member who’d worked with me in the rescue. I appreciated it—but going against my superior? That’s risky.

Still, whether it’s demon steel or regular bullets… I doubt it’d do anything to me.

"Stop it…!"

The voice coming from behind Commander-in-Chief Hayata was Prime Minister Toda.

"Enough. Everyone, lower your weapons!"

The Self-Defense Force members who had raised their guns at the Prime Minister’s words all lowered them. The Supreme Commander of the Self-Defense Force was the Prime Minister, not the Chief of Staff.

“Prime Minister, but…?”

“I’m dismissing you as Supreme Commander. The official order will come later.”

“B-But… I…”

Prime Minister Toda ignored the struggling Hayata, who tried to protest, as he was gently pulled to the right by his security detail and slowly approached Gojo.

“I’m truly sorry for the discomfort I caused. On behalf of the Japanese people, I’d like to sincerely thank you, Gojo-san, for your assistance.”

“I did it on my own, so don’t worry about it. Ah, wait—am I gonna get arrested for breaking the law or something?”

After a brief smile, the Prime Minister answered me seriously.

“You won’t be charged with any crime. If permission were needed, I, as the Prime Minister, would grant it myself.”

“You might go wild and run around unchecked, you know?”

“Go ahead. Do whatever you want. Please, help the Japanese people. Help Japan. I’m begging you!”

When the Prime Minister said that, Gojo gave a small smile, turned back, and went straight to help the still-large number of injured.

“Gojo Shōmon… I’ll bet everything on you…”

That morning, Toda had called an emergency cabinet meeting, dismissed the Director General who’d opposed him, replaced several Self-Defense Force officers, and made a cabinet decision to fully align administration and the Self-Defense Force with Gojo—rushing to reform laws, including abolishing the Magical Prohibition Act.

It was nothing short of a nation’s Prime Minister entrusting the fate of the country to a single man.

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Returning instantly to the Gifu base via teleportation, Sakagami and Shimizu waited anxiously.

"Done."

"Gojo-san!!"

"How was it over there?! Was there any damage?!?"

He looked really worried. I told Sakagami and Shimizu what had happened in Osaka.

"Pretty high number of casualties, I think... but we did everything we could."

"I see... um..."

"The real question is... why did those monsters suddenly appear out of nowhere... We just can't figure out the reason."

After a pause, Sakagami spoke.

"Earlier, in a country called Georgia, similar monsters were running wild—just like in Japan. I heard the military destroyed a boss-like creature there. After that, the number of monsters in Georgia dropped sharply."

"A boss monster? So the Dragon Zombies were sent by that thing!?"

"The boss was said to be inside a strange, bluish-black land that formed in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. If it were Japan, Tokyo would be the only possibility... but in Tokyo, there's a massive, bluish-black land with a huge entrance. Monsters were pouring out from inside, and it was impossible to go in. Some younger team members even said the inside might be a dungeon..."

"A dungeon..."

With that word, it became crystal clear—where we had to go next, to save Japan.