"Brezhnev?"
Hearing the Major's surprised cry upon seeing him for the first time, Ren pursed his lips, a trace of awkwardness surfacing on his face.
He admitted he shared the same thick eyebrows and a similar face shape, but his features were clearly different.
After his initial shock, the Major looked closer, finally seeing the visitor's appearance clearly.
"No, I was mistaken."
The man before him was clearly East Asian; there was a slight resemblance, but the differences were obvious upon closer inspection.
The Major regained his senses as his memories gradually became clear.
He remembered dying at the hands of Integra.
Looking down at his translucent hands and body, then at the half-broken mechanical frame beneath him, the Major understood.
"I am currently... a soul."
"So this is what one's soul looks like after death."
He looked up at the two uninvited guests, his round face wearing its usual smile.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? Who are you, and what is your purpose?"
"It seems you understand your current situation, so I won't waste words."
Ren stepped forward, scanning the Major from head to toe. "I am a Soul Reaper from another world. I happened to be passing by when I saw the war breaking out in London and stopped to observe."
"Another world... a Soul Reaper?"
A hint of realization appeared on the Major's calm face.
"I see."
Seeing his composure, Ren remarked, "You don't seem surprised."
"There's nothing to be surprised about," the Major laughed. "Parallel worlds, or perhaps a multiverse—I heard such theories long ago. I just didn't expect another world to actually exist."
He looked at the Soul Reaper. "So, Soul Reaper, why have you come for me now?"
"Have you come to drag me into the crucibles of Hell for punishment?"
Ren shook his head, his refusal causing a look of surprise to cross the Major's face.
"Setting aside the slaughter you unleashed, your sheer will is enough to earn my admiration. I have appeared to offer you an opportunity."
"What kind of opportunity?"
Ren extended his hand to the Major in invitation. "Come with me. I will take you to another world—my world."
"In that world, you might find a war that brings you true joy."
As he spoke, Ren felt Yoruichi tugging at the back of his clothes.
He glanced sideways and saw Yoruichi's face in the gloom, her expression one of extreme reluctance.
At the mention of war, the Major's expression visibly brightened, and his smile grew wider.
"War... that delightful, intoxicating war."
He spread his arms wide, gesturing wildly in a state of intense excitement.
"If I could start another war even after death, that would be maddeningly wonderful!"
"However!"
After his outburst, the Major suddenly calmed down.
Looking at the Soul Reaper, he waved his hand.
"I refuse!"
"Why?" Ren asked.
"Because my goal has been achieved. I have exhausted all my means and secured the final victory—a victory that belongs solely to me!"
The Major's golden eyes narrowed as he cocked an eyebrow, a grin spreading across his face to reveal his teeth.
"Currently, I am in a state of unprecedented satisfaction."
"More importantly, it sounds like you want me to manufacture a war for you. Hahaha! That is something I simply cannot do."
"My wars are decided by my own will. I will not hand that over to anyone else."
Seeing the Major's obsession, Ren nodded. "I understand your choice."
Since the Major was unwilling to follow, he would respect the man's individual wishes.
Just as he was about to leave, a thought occurred to Ren. "You say you won this war?"
"Yes, yes, I won."
The Major nodded repeatedly, as if boasting about the final victory he had spent his entire life orchestrating.
"My enemy was the vampire Alucard, and now... my methods have killed him once and for all!"
He clenched his fist, held it out, and then slowly relaxed his fingers.
"It is my victory. That is an undeniable fact!"
Ren said in a low voice, "I understand some of the means you used to kill Alucard..."
"...By using Schrödinger's Cat to merge into the millions of souls within Alucard, making it impossible for him to accurately observe himself. Unable to confirm his own existence, he was left in a state of non-existence."
"But have you considered what happens if Alucard suddenly breaks free?"
Ren paused. Alucard's ultimate fate was exactly that—re-observing himself and returning to the world.
And he would be far more troublesome than the original Alucard.
"If Alucard slaughters the millions within him until only one will remains, wouldn't he be able to observe himself then?"
"That is a possibility, and that is exactly why I won!"
The Major's voice suddenly rose in pitch.
Ren frowned. "But Alucard still exists?"
"But the vampire Alucard is dead!"
The Major's voice was firm and powerful, radiating his unwavering self-centeredness.
"I am a human being. A human with his own will, a creature with a soul and a heart."
"And so-called vampires are pathetic, weak monsters that cannot survive without drinking the blood and consuming the lives of others."
"I despise it from the bottom of my heart. I hate it with every fiber of my being. That is why I did everything in my power to kill it."
"Soul Reaper, even if things turn out as you say and Alucard returns after killing those millions, the vampire is still dead."
"The Alucard who returns to this world—let's call him Alucard for now—is essentially Schrödinger with Alucard's will."
"If he drinks blood again, if he absorbs another life, he will lose himself once more and vanish from this world."
"From now on, he can never drink blood again."
"An Alucard who cannot drink blood is no longer a vampire!"
"That is why this war is my victory."
Hearing the Major's spirited lecture, Ren nodded slightly, understanding the point he was trying to make.
"If that is how you define victory, then I suppose it is one, in a way."
"It sounds like you don't quite agree with me, Soul Reaper," the Major laughed. "Though I've never sought anyone's approval. Whether you agree or not, your opinion is irrelevant to me."
If it were Ren, he certainly wouldn't be satisfied with such a result.
To kill an enemy meant ensuring not a single shred of their flesh remained in this world.
His questions answered, Ren had no intention of lingering.
"If you won't come, so be it. I wish you a long, agonizing stay in Hell."
With those words, Ren turned and left without looking back.
Watching the Soul Reaper's retreating back, the Major raised an eyebrow, still wearing that half-smile.
"Haha, I shall take that as a blessing."
"Soul Reaper."