I Don’t Want to Die as a Mob in My Second Life! ～A Story Where I Kept Training from Inside the Womb and Ended Up Being Mistaken for a Monster～ - Chapter 60: The Girl Named Nashiro Hiraga / Ominous Signs of Invasion

Chapter 60: The Girl Named Nashiro Hiraga / Ominous Signs of Invasion

『At this rate, humanity is going to go extinct…!』

—The Hiraga Residence.

The birthplace of Nashiro Hiraga.

Since the Taisho Era, the Hiraga family had been at the forefront of advancing Spirit Conductor Science.

Spirit Conductor Science was the study of supernatural phenomena and spiritual objects that broke the laws of physics.

“What happens when you smash an Unbreakable Spiritual Armor into an Absolute Break Spiritual Sword? And what’s the actual mechanism that determines the result?”

—If you knew that, you could figure out how to counter enemy abilities.

“What makes naturally occurring spiritual matter differ depending on the spirit energy used to create it? How much oxygen does one degree of Spirit Flame consume? What are the boiling and freezing points of Spirit Water?”

—If you knew that, you could improve your chants and techniques.

“How many Reisoushi with high spiritual power does it take for a Conceptual Spirit to evolve?

Does size or volume matter? If the Reisoushi are younger, does that make their souls fresher and more effective for evolution?”

—If we figured that out, then surprise evolutions from the enemy wouldn’t be surprises anymore.

“When Conceptual Spirits are satisfied, they vanish from the world and ascend… But the ones called Old Rulers—why don’t they disappear? What makes them different? Do they have some kind of organ or mechanism that lets them remain in the real world indefinitely?”

—If we knew that, maybe we could actually find a way to defeat the Old Rulers.

That’s what Spirit Conductor Science was all about.

It was a field that cut into spiritual mysteries—stuff people used to wave off as mere “occult nonsense”—

And brought light and logic to the hazy, unexplained rules of the supernatural.

Plenty of people aimed to become researchers.

After all, if you discovered something that helped defeat spirits or empowered Reisoushi,

The rewards were huge.

Prestige, money, fame—you could have it all.

But even in a world like that—

There was one researcher, Nashiro, who stood out as truly noble.

『I just want everyone… to be happy!』

She didn’t care about money or recognition.

All she wanted… was peace.

A world where Reisoushi could safely complete their missions.

Where civilians didn’t have to die, and people could smile without fear.

『I’ll make that world real… with my own hands!』

She worked tirelessly to make it happen.

Fortunately, Nashiro was born with an extraordinary mind.

And she had the perfect environment—the prestigious Hiraga family’s private lab.

That’s why she gave everything.

And kept giving.

『I don’t need kisses from Mom and Dad, or hugs from my little sister. I’ll live my life for everyone else.』

That was the vow she made at just seven years old.

And from then on, she shut herself in the lab for ten straight years.

『I discovered that the appearance and strengthening of Conceptual Spirits isn’t just influenced by human consciousness—it’s affected by the awareness of all intelligent lifeforms. Including the Conceptual Spirits themselves.』

And Conceptual Spirits have very strong awareness.

So, by intentionally revealing information about your own spirit right in front of an enemy Conceptual Spirit—

You could force it to focus on you, and in doing so, boost your own spiritual performance.

It was a special technique Nashiro developed.

『Spirits are deeply tied to the concept of time—like clocks, for example. So if you seal a spirit inside a room with a slightly slow clock, You can delay their ascension.』

Thanks to that little discovery,

The number of people who could successfully form contracts with spirits increased by over 10%.

Normally, even if a Conceptual Spirit was captured,

It could vanish before a compatible Reisoushi even arrived at the sealing site.

But Nashiro’s method helped reduce those tragic near-misses.

『Spirits are fond of things imbued with human dreams. That’s why anime, manga, and music all have calming effects on them.』

『Spirits that take on beast-like forms are less likely to appear on rainy days. Human-shaped ones? Their appearance rate drops on Sundays. So we figured out which days are safest for Reisoushi to take a break.』

『Fire-type Conceptual Spirits hate words related to water. But across the board, no matter what kind of spirit it is, they all seem to hate the phrase “Year 2053 of the Holy Calendar.” Even though, in angel number terms, 2053 is supposed to mean “a new beginning.” Strange, right? Anyway, it might come in handy if you ever want to annoy them.』

She made countless other discoveries too.

Nashiro threw herself into her research—

Cutting sleep, diving deeper, deeper still—

And before she knew it, she turned seventeen…

Without a single friend.

And that’s when it hit her—

The genius of the Hiraga family finally realized the truth.

『Ah… Humanity is totally screwed.』

That was the conclusion she reached.

No matter how many clever tricks or minor improvements they came up with,

Humans would always be under threat from Conceptual Spirits.

It was like trying to douse a bonfire with a glass of water.

Sure, their ability to deal with individual Conceptual Spirits had improved a bit—

But at best, it just barely helped society hang on.

And when it came to figuring out how to defeat the true monsters—

The Old Rulers…

They hadn’t gotten anywhere.

Not in years.

Not ever.

No progress.

“What if… the number of Old Ruler-class Conceptual Spirits just keeps increasing?”

Then it’s game over.

With the current strength of humanity,

And how painfully slow research was moving,

There was no way they could survive.

That’s why Nashiro started calling for more freedom in research.

She begged for looser restrictions, fewer rules.

But all she got back were boring, bureaucratic responses—

“We must proceed with caution and proper deliberation.”

And then—

She heard that line:

“Don’t worry so much. If anything happens, we’ve got the unbeatable Lord Ouma!”

Don’t mess with me!!

That was the moment Nashiro snapped.

She screamed in frustration—

And fell into despair.

Sure, Ouma Shiranui was incredible.

He brought light, order, and justice to the war-torn ruins of Japan.

No one could deny that.

But because of that—

Too many people started worshipping him.

Treating him like a messiah.

Relying on him too much.

And if humanity kept walking this “path of light” surrounded by those kinds of people…

It would be too late.

Humanity would be wiped out long before the results of her research could ever save them.

That’s why—

『Fine. I’ll fall. I’ll fall into the darkness—even if I become a Medium, I’ll still save humanity…!』

And so, Nashiro embraced the forbidden.

She became a Medium—a wielder of taboo power.

The organization she founded took on the name Reverse Cross.

―“I swear… even if I turn my back on the righteous path, I’ll still carry a cross of salvation for humanity.”

That vow shaped everything.

『Yes… Let’s create a new kind of human—demi-humans. Stronger, faster, more powerful. Let’s mass-produce them and throw them into society like a brick through a window. Let’s show people just how badly they’re lacking. Make them realize… how weak humanity really is!』

She wanted to shake humanity awake.

To force them into crisis—

So that, in fear of the demi-human threat, they’d finally begin moving forward.

『If they see that kind of overwhelming power… maybe they’ll start mass-producing demi-humans. Maybe they’ll even experiment with turning regular people into them.』

If more strong individuals appeared—

Society would have to improve, even if just a little.

And if those strong individuals kept pushing their limits—

Then maybe, just maybe,

Someone would finally create a weapon sharp enough to reach the Old Rulers.

Nashiro would be the first stone tossed into that future.

『Ahaha… What a villain I’ve become…!』

Somewhere along the line,

Her speech became theatrical.

She was still just a young woman—

But now the infamous leader of a criminal Medium faction, she forced herself to sound dignified.

Though in truth…

Maybe it wasn’t about dignity at all.

Maybe she just wanted to wear a mask.

To cover her face so she wouldn’t have to look directly at the horrible things she was doing.

And then—

“Nashiro Hiraga. You broke the order. For that—you must die.”

Five years ago, she was condemned by Ouma Shiranui.

Her organization was dismantled.

And without mercy… her head was taken.

Ah…

『Even so—!』

Nashiro never gave up.

Even if her true self had to die,

She made sure the mask she had created lived on—

An artificial personality, loaded with her memories, uploaded into the network.

It was all for the sake of humanity.

To save mankind—even if it meant walking through a storm of blood.

She couldn’t let all the sacrifices she’d made go to waste.

『Even if I have to become a ghost… a villain damned by the world—I still won’t give up…!』

And then—five years passed.

In the shifting, fragile sea of electrons, where even a moment of carelessness meant disappearing forever,

She finally learned how to survive.

And then… she reached out.

She contacted someone who could act on her behalf in the real world.

That person was—Kanata Soranaki.

She’d been watching him for some time, through his phone and other devices.

And what she saw was wickedness.

A corrupt king, constantly seducing talented people, dragging them into his darkness.

He even dared to strike a deal with the terrifying Ouma Shiranui—

Just to seize control of the world.

Nashiro approached him, fully prepared.

『No matter the cost. If it’s for the future of humanity, I’ll pay it.』

That’s what she told herself.

But—

All it took was a few words.

Just a few—

And her heart melted.

“Nashiro. You’re kind.”

She nearly broke into tears.

That emotion—

That desperate desire to save people, hidden behind her villainy—

The thing no one had ever noticed, no one had ever acknowledged—

For the first time…

Someone understood her.

And then—

And then—

“Rules? Just change them. Under the rule of the true master of the future world…”

『!?』

The future ruler of the world.

There was no mistaking who he meant.

Kanata Soranaki.

He was talking about himself—!

“So, Nashiro—what do you say? Still want to cling to illegal experiments? Still want to scurry around like a little rat, trying to save humanity from the shadows?”

Kanata had seen through everything.

He understood it all.

“Wouldn’t you rather be remembered as a world-famous genius scientist instead of just another petty criminal?”

And then,

He offered her a brand new path—!

Down at the bottom of a twisted, dark road…

He pointed toward something far more thrilling than either righteousness or villainy.

A path called Domination.

Your real body’s already gone. You’ve paid for your sins with your life. So think of this as your rebirth. Hide your identity… and wear the mask of justice.”

She nodded without hesitation.

Her nonexistent heart thudded with joy.

And she knelt in devotion before her new lord.

Ah—

She had once fallen into darkness, rejecting the blinding light of Ouma Shiranui.

But even in that darkness…

There was a savior.

『Lord Kanata—Future Ruler of the Woooorld!』

That declaration of her undying loyalty…

Was met by Kanata’s beautiful, utterly expressionless face.

He was probably happy.

Ufufu.

◆　◇　◆

『Mmmnn～～! Lord Kanata, smooch smooch!』

“Haha… (What is this cat?)”

A fluffy-faced cat-bat was clinging to me while I walked through the city, munching on a crepe.

Buying a crepe as an adult still felt kinda embarrassing, you know?

“Oh yeah. You probably shouldn’t go around calling yourself ‘Nashiro Hiraga’ anymore.”

After all, that was the name of the infamous leader of the Reverse Cross Medium group that got wiped out five years ago.

To the world, she was a traitor to the prestigious Hiraga family—

Basically the rotten swamp witch of the science world.

Stick with that name, and you’re just a gutter cat at this point.

Besides—

“Being with me means you’ll eventually come face-to-face with one of your victims—Riru. You’ll need to be careful around her.”

Sure, the current Nashiro was just a digital persona.

Technically, she wasn’t the same person as the one who created Riru.

But if Riru found out the original was still “alive” in any form, it could hurt her.

Some wounds just don’t heal unless the one who caused them stays dead.

『Indeed… That makes perfect sense. In that case, to symbolize my rebirth—Lord Kanata! Please bestow upon me a new name!』

Oh?

You’re leaving that to me?

“Alright then…”

Time to let my legendary naming sense shine!

Hmm…
Well, girls like sweet things, so maybe something cute and sugary sounding…

“Alright, let’s go with Ganashirop. It’s a spin on Hiraga Nashiro, but I added some sweet syrup to it.”

『HahahaHAHAHA!』

Oh~ she’s laughing.

Looks like she liked it?

You good with that, Ganashirop-chan!?

『Lord Kanata, your jokes are too good!』

…What!?

That wasn’t a joke!

I was being completely serious with that name!

『Oh, and speaking of—didn’t you also make Kirara Houjou cry with one of your gloriously humiliating, bottom-of-the-swamp-tier name suggestions?』

“(Swamp-tier…? Seriously?)”

Oi. Hold on.

Are you seriously trying to say my naming sense is bad?

Are you saying Kirara—my friend—hated the name I gave her?

…No. No way. That can’t be right!

It’s her sense of taste that’s the problem! Definitely not mine!

Sigh.

Well, I’d feel bad crushing her excitement, so… guess I’ll back off this time.

“Haha, just kidding. Let’s go with something simpler—how about Naro?”

『Oooh! Simple is best, I say!』

Looks like she actually liked it this time.

…Even though I came up with it in, like, one second.

Honestly, Ganashirop was way better.

Or maybe Hiragana-chan… Ganassy had a nice ring too…

『Then from now on, I, formerly Hiraga Nashiro, shall be known as… The Digital Fairy Naro-chan!』

She floated around happily, fluttering in the air.

Well, if she’s having fun with it, I guess it’s all good.

『Please rely on me for anything related to world domination! As long as it’s digital, there are a few limits—but I can do almost anything!』

“Yeah. (I’m not actually taking over the world, though.)”

Anyway, she really was a near-unstoppable force when it came to digital warfare.

In this day and age, the power of the internet was no joke.

“Back in the day, it was the strongest Reisoushi in the real world who held all the power. But now, it’s the digital world where money and information flow. I’m counting on you.”

『Ooh! Lord Kanata, you really get it!』

Well, of course I do.

I came from the future, after all—Year 2053 of the Holy Calendar, when the net had evolved even further than now.

That said, my own tech skills were average at best.

So before the whole Reverse Cross Demi-Human Riot Incident broke out three years from now,

I’d planned to stop the event and recruit Nashiro in the process.

Never expected she’d end up becoming my subordinate, though.

『Leave it to me~! If anyone’s badmouthing Lord Kanata online, I’ll track their location, file a disclosure request, and take care of it all~!』

“…(Uh, yikes…)”

That was the kind of conversation I was having—with a literal floating mascot.

Suddenly, she let out a little “Myumyuuun!?” and the tail sticking out of the back of her cat-bat head snapped straight up.

Huh? What now?

『Lord Kanata… Did you know that the Holy Empire—Libertaria—is keeping a certain Conceptual Spirit called [Schadenfreude]?』

“Yeah.”

Schadenfreude—

The embodiment of that old saying: “Other people’s suffering is sweet as honey.”

『That Conceptual Spirit’s ability is… “Predicting disasters in other countries.” Specifically, it can sense when a major catastrophe—or a Supreme-Class Conceptual Spirit—is about to appear… about three days in advance.”

What a twisted, nasty power.

But the benefits it offered… were massive.

Let’s say there’s a country you want to invade.

Charging in directly would mean huge losses on both sides.

But what if…

You knew exactly when disaster would strike that country?

If you moved your army right after that chaos hit,

Their ability to fight back would be drastically reduced.

“So what about it?”

『Well… I may have slipped a tiny virus into one of the Empire’s top officials’ PCs. Strictly for information purposes, of course. I call it the Kitten Virus. Isn’t that adorable?』

Yeah, no.

There’s nothing cute about what it actually does.

『Anyway, that little kitten just brought me some very juicy intel—』

Floating in her digital avatar form, Naro-chan delivered the bombshell:

『In three days… a Supreme-Class Conceptual Spirit will appear inside Japan.』

…Ha!?

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