CHAPTER 502: CHAPTER 500 HUSBAND AND WIFE TOGETHER_1

Upon receiving their answer, Aozawa raised his right hand, and Shadow Spikes towering over a hundred meters tall rapidly retracted back into the ground.

The blood-soaked earth became covered in shadows; not a single drop of blood remained in sight. One by one, the corpses fell from the sky, making no sound at all, like clay oxen sinking into the sea, vanishing within the shadows.

Devouring all the corpses and blood, the black torrent converged, revealing the desert below without a hint of any bloodstain.

The gentle moonlight spread over the Chihuahua Desert, seemingly draping a layer of silver-white veil over the sands.

"Wait, Emperor, I still have something—" Nied tried to continue.

Aozawa had no interest in further conversation. The returning black torrent surged and engulfed them all.

Under the surveillance of military satellites, the Shadow rapidly shrank within the desert, ultimately vanishing without a trace.

It was as if nothing had ever happened.

The desert lay silent. Only the cool evening breeze caressed the grains of sand, and the lingering scent of blood in the air served as proof of the events that had just transpired.

What immense power was this?! Nett watched the scene, an infatuated expression in his eyes.

He let out a deep breath and said, "Secretary of State, immediately add a research project on intense light to the Noah’s Ark plan. Then, inform Kochou that we agree to her proposal. It’s necessary to strengthen our defenses here at home."

"Yes, sir." The Secretary of State nodded.

「」

「Ayase, Morimoto Family.」

In the spacious living room, a figure emerged from the shadow cast by the sofa, the shadowy covering around him bursting like bubbles.

Rows of Shadow Soldiers and Shadow Dancers swiftly appeared in the living room.

The Shadow Soldiers naturally began cleaning the villa.

The Shadow Dancers pirouetted gracefully on the table.

The more videos he watched, the more moves the Shadow Dancers knew.

And the darkness of the shadows, contrasted with the fair-skinned beauties, offered an entirely different visual sensation when they danced.

Aozawa lay lazily on the sofa. With a wave of his hand, a Shadow Soldier brought him the cell phone from his bedroom.

He unlocked it to check his LINE messages. Not many messages today.

Aozawa opened Ayatsuki Ayaka’s chat.

"Aozawa, listen! Maru is so mean! She promised to meet me, but she stood me up to go hang out with her boyfriend. She left me all alone in Shibuya!"

An indignant emoticon followed the message, which had been sent ten minutes ago.

Aozawa thought for a moment. Iroha probably hasn’t left so quickly. He messaged: "Then wait there. I’ll come see you in Shibuya."

The message quickly turned to "read." Ayatsuki Ayaka’s lips curled up as she replied, "Okay, I’ll be waiting here! Hurry up and come!"

After hitting send, she looked up and said excitedly, "Maru, Aozawa replied to my message!"

"Good. Remember what I taught you for when he arrives."

"Mhm," Ayatsuki Ayaka responded, her face blushing. This feels so embarrassing.

Her phone vibrated, and she glanced down.

"I’ll be there shortly."

Aozawa stood up. All the shadows in the living room vanished. He pocketed his phone and walked outside.

In this day and age, with location tracking on mobile phones, Aozawa hardly needed to use Schrodinger’s Cat or Global Travel when carrying his phone.

At school, he would hide it in some deserted corner, and at the park, he’d keep it tucked away in the shrubs.

At home, it was naturally placed in the bedroom, or sometimes on the living room table, to avoid hassle.

Aozawa opened the door. Unlike the coolness of the air conditioning, a wave of blazing heat hit him, feeling as if fire were searing his skin.

He stepped out in sandals, closing the door behind him. As he approached the ornate iron gate, sweat had already begun to bead on his forehead.

It’s really hot out. Aozawa wiped the sweat from his forehead but didn’t consider heading back. He locked the ornate iron gate and jogged toward Ayase Station.

He was eager to see Iroha. Although he couldn’t share what had just transpired with her, it didn’t impede his desire to convey his joyful mood.

It was just like in video games: when a player suddenly achieves something, they desperately want to share that joy with someone familiar.

This was the first time he had used his Superpower to string up so many villains. The feeling was truly fucking awesome.

「」

「At 2:30 PM, the Prime Minister’s residence officially announced Kochou’s new cabinet members to the public.」

Morimoto Chiyoda was appointed the new Minister of State. At her age, and as a woman, holding such a key position should have sparked a flurry of media interviews.

However, right after the announcement, Morimoto Chiyoda was summoned to the Prime Minister’s office.

The secretary had notified her in advance and opened the office door for her. Morimoto Chiyoda entered the room.

Kochou was not sitting behind her desk; she had chosen to sit in the sofa area. She smiled and said, "Minister Morimoto, you’ve arrived. Please, sit down. This is your favorite coffee."

A cup of coffee with sugar art was pushed in front of Morimoto Chiyoda. She sat down, a smile gracing her pale cheeks, and said, "Thank you, Prime Minister. Is there something specific you called me for?"

Kochou blew on the red tea in her cup and replied with a light laugh, "I want to congratulate you, not only for assuming the role of Minister of State but also for ensuring Okayama Buji succeeded to the Police Director position. I truly didn’t misjudge you; you’re excellent. In such a short time, you’ve managed to rally the support of the cabinet ministers for your appointment as Minister of State."

"Since the Prime Minister wished to promote me, I naturally had to put in the effort," Morimoto Chiyoda responded with a smile. She had effectively crushed Kochou’s intention to control the Metropolitan Police Department and solidified her seemingly nominal role as Minister of State into a substantial one, with even the National Police Agency Commissioner General now beneath her.

With her relationship with the CIA, the Public Security Intelligence Agency would likely fall under her influence as well.

Of course, she had no intention of doing anything underhanded, merely adhering to regulations. That alone was enough to earn the support of the five major financial groups and the ministers. They disliked anyone holding a monopoly on power.

Kochou, hearing the implication in Morimoto Chiyoda’s words, said, "Morimoto, are you aware of the major event that occurred in Mexico? At exactly 1:11:55 PM Tokyo time this afternoon, an earth-shattering incident took place in the Chihuahua Desert. Three hundred fifty-one drug cartels, totaling three hundred ninety-six thousand seven hundred forty-eight people. All equipped with American weaponry, possessing firepower that even an SAT team couldn’t match. Even so, they didn’t last a second before the Emperor of the Shadow Clan; all were subjected to impalement."

At this point, Kochou took a sip of her red tea. "Many who witnessed that scene went mad from shock. Those who didn’t lose their minds will probably be afraid to sleep without the lights on for the rest of their lives."

"Is that so?" Morimoto Chiyoda’s reaction was calm. Jack had already told her about the incident, so after the initial shock, she felt no further disturbance.

Kochou showed a hint of curiosity. "You don’t seem very surprised?"

"I’m already used to such things. Besides, those who died were scum; my capacity for empathy isn’t that strong for them," Morimoto Chiyoda said with a shrug. She didn’t regard those people as human, nor did she believe they would have treated her as one.

"That’s true. You, who are always chasing after Dio, indeed face such enormous pressure all the time."

Kochou set down her red tea and got to the point. "The world is facing an unprecedented crisis. If Japan continues with its old system of electoral power division, it will be difficult to consolidate the strength needed to achieve anything significant. Promoting the Takamagahara plan alone is not enough; we also need a powerful manufacturing industry—not one built on false claims, but a genuinely strong one! Otherwise, what’s the use of having plans and ideas if we can’t produce the necessary weapons, or find it incredibly difficult to do so?"

"The Prime Minister’s insight is profound," Morimoto Chiyoda said lightly, still not taking a stance.

Kochou smiled. "Morimoto, you’re a smart woman; I won’t waste time with pleasantries. I want to centralize power. Only by holding power firmly in my hands can I truly advance the things I want to accomplish. I hope you will support me."

As she spoke, she handed Morimoto Chiyoda a document from beside the sofa. "Before you answer, perhaps you’d like to look at this."

Morimoto Chiyoda took the document, glanced over it, and her expression showed surprise. "The U.S. Forces Japan in Okinawa are withdrawing?"

"That’s right. Times have changed. The original purpose of maintaining forces in Okinawa was to form the First Island Chain. But with the threat from the Different World, the United States has abandoned the First Island Chain and shifted from confrontation to seeking cooperation. Kumazo Yasuda is a foolish and incompetent man; he can’t grasp the international situation clearly and doesn’t know how to seize opportunities. I am different."

Kochou rested her hands on the low table, her body leaning forward, her gaze piercing and intense. "The first thing I will do upon taking office is to demand the removal of U.S. Forces Japan from Okinawa. Even without what happened in Mexico, I am confident I can convince the United States. Previously, they deployed forces globally without restraint because no nearby power could threaten them. It’s different now. Monsters from the Different World or hostile nations could attack the United States at any moment. They must consolidate their forces to protect their homeland. Morimoto, times are changing! This country needs leaders with courage and a sense of responsibility, not showboating politicians!"

Kochou spoke passionately, "Morimoto, your intelligence is more than sufficient for the Prime Minister’s position, yet you lack the ambition to rule. You are better suited to be an outstanding subordinate. Work with me, and let’s make Japan strong again."

As Kochou extended her right hand, Morimoto Chiyoda remained silent. She understood that while Kochou spoke persuasively, even cunningly, she couldn’t deny that at this juncture, a capable Prime Minister would indeed be better than an ineffectual one like Kumazo Yasuda. But she maintained her stance.

"I am merely a public servant of the nation. I only do what falls within the scope of my responsibilities, nothing more."

"Haha, of course." Kochou withdrew her hand. She sighed inwardly but wasn’t overly disappointed. Even if she couldn’t completely sway Morimoto Chiyoda, easing their relationship and confirming her neutrality was sufficient. Her centralization of power was the inevitable trend. At this time, the United States needed an ally that could genuinely help, not one that would be a burden or, worse, expect to be saved. Of course, the U.S. Seventh Fleet would not depart. Honshu Island still held immense strategic importance for the United States; however, unlike before, their strategy now revolved around Dio and the Different World. As long as the United States didn’t abandon Paradise, Kochou knew she couldn’t force the U.S. Seventh Fleet to leave. But she wasn’t in a hurry. Who could say for certain what the future held?