Chapter 292: What Is the Right Thing to Do?
"Because there was no need, I did not teach you. That is all."
"A person without talent can only learn half-baked skills. That benefits neither the one teaching nor the one learning. It is nothing but a waste of time."
Without giving his son a chance to cut in, Kurogane Itsuki seemed to believe he had finally understood why Ikki had done so many foolish things.
He sternly "educated" Ikki, as if he intended to make him realize his mistake through reason.
"If it were only a waste of time, that would still be fine."
"The worst case is someone like you now, obtaining results while remaining half-baked."
In his low voice, Itsuki solemnly told Ikki his thoughts.
"The Kurogane Family has a long history. Ever since the era when Mage-Knights and Blazers were still called 'samurai,' the Kurogane Family has led the Blazers of the entire country."
"To organize and unite all the Blazers in this country is our Kurogane Family's responsibility."
"But this matter is not simple. Gathering Blazers into one group and making them work together is extremely difficult."
"Blazers possess power far beyond ordinary people. Because of that, they cannot be treated the same way as ordinary people."
"What is needed to contain these superhumans inside the box known as an 'organization' is 'Rank.'"
"By establishing a public and simple order called 'Rank,' and granting appropriate rights according to each level, everyone will consciously remain in the position where they should stay. Only then can an organization ensure long-term stability."
"In a structure built upon individual strength, the most feared thing is the lower ranks looking down on the upper ranks."
"If the lower ranks begin to think, 'I can be more outstanding than the upper ranks,' then with power pushing them forward, that thought will directly turn into action."
"Regardless of whether the result is success or failure, it will cause massive damage to the organizational structure."
"The difference between superhuman society and ordinary society lies in their ability to act. So in order to maintain a stable order, the roots of unrest must be cut off at the source."
"Therefore, Ikki, everything you are doing now is destroying the painstaking efforts that the Kurogane Family has built up over generations."
Kurogane Itsuki's tone did not rise or fall.
He simply spoke to Ikki solemnly and seriously, explaining the responsibility he bore as the head of the Kurogane Family.
Someone who should have been "unable to do anything" had "forced himself to produce results."
Once that fact appeared, everyone with a certain ability would use it as a starting point and begin to try.
No one was willing to remain mediocre forever.
It was the same logic as a lottery. If everyone believed there were no treasures in the prize pool, then no one would draw from it.
But once someone started claiming that they had drawn a treasure from inside, countless others would try afterward.
Among those people who tried, the vast majority would not think about why that person was able to draw a treasure.
If the basic idea of Blazer destiny theory were overturned, and people returned to the idea that everyone was equal…
Then the shackles binding these superhumans would collapse with it. If things became serious, it might even ignite a major problem that the entire world had always tried its best to avoid.
That was the irreconcilable conflict between superhumans and ordinary people.
Kurogane Itsuki understood better than anyone that the current Rank system was certainly not absolutely correct.
But in most cases, or rather, in almost all cases, it was relatively correct.
"Those who overturn the rules are extremely rare exceptions. I cannot allow an 'exception' to become the 'truth' in the eyes of the masses."
"Especially since you, Kurogane Ikki, are a child of the Kurogane main family. The attention you receive is far greater than you imagine, and the influence you have on society is far more serious than you think."
"That is why I said this to you, and even now, I will still say it to you."
"Since you cannot do anything anyway, then do nothing."
"Only then will no one die because of you."
There had always been "reason" behind Kurogane Itsuki's actions.
He was absolutely not a good person, and his actions absolutely could not be called correct.
But was he wrong?
That question wandered through Ikki's heart.
This was the first time Ikki had truly understood the person called Kurogane Itsuki.
In order to fulfill the duty passed down through generations of the Kurogane Family, he imposed an unshakable iron rule upon himself, his family, and even others.
This was Ikki's father, the Mage-Knight known as "Ironblood."
What he painted was a plan that benefited the majority.
Not harboring excessive ambitions and knowing one's place was the way most humans obtained happiness in life.
Because not everyone could be like Ikki, possessing enough talent and perseverance to break free from their own "incompetence."
As Ikki's biological father, Kurogane Itsuki understood his son's talent better than anyone.
Ikki's talent in swordsmanship could be said to be something rarely seen in hundreds or even thousands of years.
It was truly the kind of ultimate talent that could push the development of this path forward through one person's strength alone.
But unfortunately, he was born in the wrong era.
The current world's mainstream direction was Blazers.
The structure and order of everything today had been built around this uncontrollable group of superhumans.
And within this group, Ikki's label was quite literally "trash."
Being surpassed by a piece of "trash," whether it led to envy or jealousy, was a fact that could easily stir people's emotions.
Ordinary people did not have the power to put their emotions into action. Unless they gathered in large numbers, they would not shake the order.
But superhumans were different. Even a single Blazer with supernatural powers was an enormous threat to order.
Perhaps this was the sorrow of a supernatural society.
Maintaining this fragile yet stable order was the one and only justice that "Ironblood" Kurogane Itsuki had upheld from beginning to end.
"S-so, Father, you did not tell me to do nothing because I would become the family's disgrace?"
"Of course. From the very beginning, I never cared about things like 'trash' or 'disgrace.' Those things are not important at all."
After hearing his words, Ikki no longer knew how to describe his current feelings.
From his father's words, he could hear unwavering belief and will. He did not even know how he should refute him.
Even as one of the victims, even as a sacrifice of this so-called order, even Ikki himself had to admit after hearing Kurogane Itsuki's explanation…
He could not say the words, "This person is wrong."
Because if it were Ikki, he could not think of a better method either. He also could not do better than Kurogane Itsuki.
But…
How was he supposed to accept this result?
Was he supposed to simply say, "Ah, yes," and completely give up all the effort he had made until now?
Ikki did not know.
He no longer knew what he should do for it to be right.
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