Who is Ngirozi Shinji (Kokusei)? (1)
The mortals at the camp describe him as:
A grown up child. Someone who is forced to deal with grown up issues instead of enjoying his childhood.
This, they prove by his brittle nature... something, he can't cover up by acting.
Furthermore, he is someone who wants a lot of attention, because he doesn't want to be ignored. This, however, makes him easy to use.
Although he is the most secretive person about his goals, they can tell he is a child chasing unrealistic dreams in adult flesh.
"An idiot who can be exploited easily."
"An oblivious fool who knows nothing about the world."
"An ant in a jar who knows nothing about the cruelty of the world."
***
Shinji stands at the front of the crowd which decided to rest for the day. Humming to himself, he taps the ground with his feet.
He wanted to say the word, 'please', but the only time he said that was to preserve a life —his.
After a few minutes, a horse faced veteran notices him, and asks loudly for everyone to hear: "Is something troubling you Shinji-kun?"
Muttering gibberish to himself in his mind, he addresses the group with a detached apprehension:
"I've something 'interesting' to show you. Follow me."
The mortals gave each other inquisitive gazes; all of them guessed that by 'interesting', he probably was referring to his artistic works. Although, most he has shown them wasn't that pleasing, they had to follow. It would be rude to refuse someone who was struggling to voice his requests. Also, if you want to use someone you have to relent to some of their requests, especially if it is someone who barely asks for anything.
Meanwhile, Shinji; although not showing any expression, was pleased seeing that he had taken all the warriors with him.
Slowly, he follows the direction with faint Rei usage signals.
—Rei can only be sensed by other Tama-Artists when used, similar to guns —you don't know has them, unless the trigger is pulled.
After 20 minutes, the group arrived near a river were a bloody battle was taking place. The Bushi, Tama-Artists were battling a group of stage 2 muscle pumas.
15 Bushi had lost their lives, and seven were on their last leg.
Upon seeing the mortals, katsura's face ignites with hope, as he jumps backward to dodge an attack.
"You came in time! Hurry up and help us!"
The mortals were about to help, but Shinji stood in front of them. His arms spread up, signalling them to stop.
Looking at the sky, he talks to himself, "Miyato-dono was poisoned. One of the Bushi here asked for him to be killed, because he could rival most of them in strength. Here we are... trying to save the ones who murdered our hero."
His words were truth, but he omitted who poisoned Miyato for the Tama-Artists.
Turning back, he viciously slaps a person who was about to help.
Slap!
"You piece of chimpanzee crap! Can't you see what's before you? Those Bushi are our slayers! No matter what we do, we'll always be harassed by them! Only first grade idiots! No! Brainless, pop-brained monkeys who don't see what's before then will step to help! I tell you this, because the Bushi consider you lot, worse than animals! They don't eat you for dinner, but they kill you to feed the beast they're going to use as dinner!"
Seeing another idiot wanting to help, Shinji slaps him in the face. Simultaneously, Katsura loses his footing, inciting the muscle puma's claws to break his armor.
"Kill that stupid scholar and save me!"
Would they do it though? Wasn't this why they needed Shinji alive?
Seeing their hidden smiles, Shinji acts oblivious, slapping the man who walked toward him: whether the person wanted to support or kill him, he didn't care
Taking a step forward, he gives the group a piece of his mind:
"This is what you low-lives are good at! Always trying to suppress the weaker one among you! Your vision is diluted; you only look at the ground instead of the sky! One day you'll end up in the ground, there's no point in looking at it!"
The group halted, taken aback by Shinji's words. He continued, his voice filled with valor:
"Have ambition; dreams of gold! I know you're asking how we can have dreams of gold when we're suppressed left, right, and center. That all can change today, and tomorrow will be brighter!"
The man Shinji had slapped first spoke up, his face flustered, "What are you trying to prove here? Your words are just as useless as trying to keep water in a container with holes."
Shinji's response was another vicious slap:
"Stop being hopeless! We are humans; hope is our trump card! Do you know why people prefer fabricated stories to reality? It's because fabricated stories make them envision someone they could never be, yet someone they desperately want to be like."
A second passed, and the mortals nodded pleasingly. They all had the idea of fighting back hidden in them, but they didn't have someone as charismatic as Shinji to lead them. With the Main Character in the forefront, he can take all the blame when something goes west.
(—That said, the goons had forgotten to be optimistic. What would Shinji be to them if it worked out?)
For centuries, the Tama-Artists in Kurenai Village have treated mortals as slaves, striking fear into their hearts. Yet, the mortals had passively accepted their fate, just like their ancestors before them, because they lacked someone who took the lead.
Every great revolution needs a leader, and a intrepid person as Shinji is the best candidate.
Although some might be killed in the act, the potential reward is worth it: freedom.
They know that freedom is an intangible force, a feeling that couldn't be grasped but only sensed. Furthermore, they know that as long as they felt suppressed, they weren't free.
Despite the chances of being enslaved again, a minute of freedom is worth of it.
Seeing some men step forward, Shinji rallies them:
"Chopping wood starts with only one hit, and a great tree goes down in several hits! Once we are done with them, we will go protest in the violation of human rights the Tama-Artists have bestowed upon us!"
—You'll be dead by then for the crime of trying to use me.
______
(1) kokusei is Shinji's original name, he changed later in his life, meaning the one born from shadows or dark matter.
Shinji is the opposite of that, meaning divine matter, and Ngirozi —not Kanji— means, angel.
In his youth, his name meant, 'the angel born from the shadows.'
Currently, his name means, 'the angel of divine matter.'