Fujimoto Chairman’s son, Eiji Fujimoto, valued blood and names just like all the head family members of the Fujimoto clan did.
Blood means kinship, and name signifies honor.
Fujimoto, the esteemed family that reigns as the de facto ruling class of Japan.
As the firstborn of that household, he learned and acted upon the principle that these two things could not be compromised, no matter the situation.
Money? As long as the name “Fujimoto” is upheld, it will flow in abundantly.
Even if a billionaire could buy all the land in Japan, once they step onto Japanese soil, they bow beneath the name of Fujimoto.
Laws that have been established over centuries. Loyal subjects willingly throwing themselves into the flames. A culture that cannot imagine another ruler.
In the face of all this, money ultimately becomes just a number.
Power.
Power cannot be bought with a mere handful of cash. It is something that those who belong to the name create and pass down through generations. Thus, that power must only be inherited by the bloodline bearing the Fujimoto name.
The power of Japan is completed under the name of Fujimoto. Consequently, Eiji Fujimoto cared for his family.
Rather than a father watching over his family, it was more like cherishing the parts of a colossal machine.
Eiji Fujimoto expressed love in the language he knew.
That language was survival of the fittest.
The principle didn’t change when Eiji’s daughter, Sumire Fujimoto, became a magical girl.
When he realized his daughter was a magical girl, he devised a facility to capture magical girls that would serve as test subjects in place of his treasured daughter.
When he learned that magical girls possessed supernatural abilities, he calculated what needs to be extracted from them.
And when he discovered that the fruit was more valuable than expected, he ordered his subordinates to capture even more test subjects.
Everything would be used in the name of his daughter and the Fujimoto lineage, so there was no hesitation whatsoever.
BAM
“Test subject number 2, supernatural ability manifestation 42 times. Fourth test concluded.”
“…….”
“…Almost quadrupled. And with five subjects.”
Just three days ago, aside from test subject number 11, all other test subjects had failed to exceed 10 occurrences, leading the team to contemplate administering awakening drugs.
Since the planning director of the strategic planning team at Fujimoto Group complained about the inadequate samples for research results, this achievement could be deemed somewhat encouraging.
‘The subjects that were gasping for air after the experiments are now hardly sweating.’
As a researcher, this result, having conducted experiments with merely 11 test subjects for a week, seemed to be extraordinarily rapid progress, but in the uncharted territory of supernatural abilities, he thought that any prejudice was unnecessary and merely repeated mechanical experiments.
‘If supernatural abilities only improve through such repetitive training, then I might need to reconsider additional requests for test samples for drug experiments.’
GLANCE
The researcher gazed at the list of 389 potential test subjects displayed on his PC.
It seemed that no existing cases of human experimentation existed to reference for supernatural abilities, so he expected high turnover among subjects, hence the large number requested.
‘Based on current progress, rapid changes are detected with simple repetitive training alone. With drug experiments on hold.’
THUD
While placing the research records on the table, the researcher threw a piece of bread to the test subject girl, as he always did.
“Not bad. Take that and call number 3.”
“…….”
The test subject girl carefully grasped the bread bag and walked into the only corridor leading back to the dormitory.
‘Always rushing to grab it like a beast, is she despaired by the situation?’
Considering the incredibly superior physical abilities displayed by those with supernatural powers compared to ordinary people, noncompliance would undoubtedly increase the cost of resources consumed in the research.
Thus, they implemented limited rations as soon as the formal experiments began to suppress their spirits.
‘They’ve completely transformed into machines in just three days.’
The researcher thought that the limited rations imposed for a mere few days worked remarkably well on the mentally fragile teenage girls, as he prepared for the next experiment.
*
The dormitory was filled with the musty scent of girls who hadn’t bathed properly.
The noise from the logistics warehouse above could be heard 24/7, making it a far from pleasant space. Yet within it, over the past week, the bonds formed among the girls gave rise to whispers that were now replaced by a chilling silence.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
Including Ichika, the girl who usually took charge of the atmosphere, even she kept her mouth tightly shut and was watching her surroundings.
A girl with dyed orange hair finally mustered the strength to speak.
“Captain. Uh, it’s awkward.”
“Be quiet, Kyoko.”
Currently, aside from one girl who had swapped out for tests, there were a total of 10 members present in the dormitory, evenly split 5:5, sitting across from each other at either end of the room.
Finally, Kyoko couldn’t hold back anymore and sprang to her feet, pointing an accusing finger at the girls on the other side.
“Who are you lot?! Is it okay to tell us that much?!”
“Kyoko! Sit down! They’re watching!”
“Eek?!”
Ichika hastily checked the CCTV cameras installed at all four corners of the room. Her ponytail swayed nervously as she repeatedly glanced at where the cameras were mounted.
“If they stay quiet even when we sneak food, doesn’t that mean we’re safe?”
“…….”
“…I’m sorry.”
In fact, even though they had gobbled up convenience store bento boxes hastily brought from outside until yesterday, there had been no reaction from the handlers. It was unlike those who had solidified the method of controlling the girls through food.
“Surely Nene, Yumi, Tomoko, Momoe, and Yuzuki are all fine, right?”
“Ugh. How many times do I have to ask?”
A figure from Nene’s side finally spoke up.
“We’ve shared several meals together, so haven’t you reached the point where you can trust us?”
“But you haven’t even touched your food.”
“It doesn’t matter since I can eat ‘outside’.”
“…….”
“I’ve spent a lot buying you all those bento boxes.”
“We have suffered a lot.”
Ichika had honestly relaxed almost all suspicion towards them. Yet, thinking of the true nature of the cunning fox-eyed girl bearing strange powers and the other ten girls who called her captain, she preserved her doubts out of responsibility.
“Being responsible is a good thing.”
“Don’t dodge the topic.”
“I’m not dodging, so stop being grouchy.”
“…….”
“There’s too much security around the facility, so I’m busy thinking about how to deal with it. I’m also observing things with another clone.”
Ichika suddenly voiced a thought.
“Is it that hard for us to escape in that way?”
“Thinking sneaking out one-by-one is the same as rushing out all at once? No way.”
“I thought you could do it.”
“The maximum number I can switch out like this is 5. The rest I need for other things.”
“Got it.”
Ichika leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes.
“If…if we all get out of here safely, I’ll never forget this kindness.”
“I’ll remember that promise.”
“…….”
Kyoko felt like things wrapped up unknowingly, so she sat down quietly.
The second-in-command of the test subject magical girls had some insight.
*
I sensed the conversation inside the dormitory winding down and shifted my consciousness back to the outside.
While I repeatedly practiced observing through my clones, even in a detached state from the real world.
It still felt difficult to execute several tasks precisely at once.
It was like having six stock charts open and checking them in real-time while playing a game on another monitor.
The other six clones, which were primarily independent, could handle things on their own, but if they found themselves in extreme situations, I had to concentrate and control them.
‘It seems like I’m just not used to this ability. How did I end up being able to use illusion magic?’
The girls I secretly took away using the switch trick were currently hidden in my apartment, instructed to stay out of sight. Just to be safe, I’d asked Haruko to keep watch, so I felt they should be alright for now.
‘The number of test subjects was fewer than I expected.’
Whether the expansion of the experiments had not yet begun or not, the total number of test subject girls was 11.
All were children who had no private space, living in orphanages or facilities, and had revealed their supernatural abilities in real-time. If they had guardians, they wouldn’t have been captured like this, even if they showed basic magical abilities.
It was clear he intended to increase the number of test subjects gradually from the moment he recognized the limitations with just these girls.
Indeed, within the reports I had sneakily checked, there were mentions of expanding the sample size of test subjects.
‘Haruko’s name was also included in the expanded list of sample subjects.’
As the repeated training experiments produced unsatisfactory research results, they were planning to forcibly induce awakening states using drugs or accelerate metabolism to the brink of death to trigger unconscious manifestations.
Anyone could tell from the prospect of increasing the number of victims in the research plan that it was chilling.
‘So that’s why hundreds of people are dying, and Ichika is losing her mind.’
While the backstory was depicted in just a few lines in my previous life, facing the girls who were the actual test subjects here was simply devastating.
WHOOSH
I stood atop a container crane 81 meters high, looking down at the logistics warehouse of Fujimoto Heavy Industries when I suddenly turned my head against the sea breeze.
The strong, humid wind struck my face, and I caught a glimpse of the sunset beginning to paint the horizon, glimmering fragments of light reflected on the water.
Light.
Reflection.
“Oh.”
A dazzling but difficult-to-guess concept of an illusion.
If I used flames to showcase the illusion, it would be compelling.
Suddenly, I recalled that I had packed fireworks among the items collected in preparation for the apocalypse.
It might be a bit of a hassle to travel from Tokyo Port to Shibuya, but it was doable.
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