Anime Multiverse: Building a Pantheon from Scratch

Everything—absolutely everything—was a complete disaster.

That was the only way Haruno Yukinoshita could describe today.

Due to the sudden lockdown of the prefectural borders, Haruno received a request from her mother. After school was temporarily suspended, she was instructed to ensure that her younger sister, Yukino—who had recently left home after a fallout with the family—returned.

Originally, Haruno had believed this enforced return would only deepen Yukino's resentment toward the family. She thought it would reinforce her sister's desire to live independently, helping her escape the increasingly suffocating atmosphere at home for the time being.

Haruno had everything planned perfectly.

So why—why, after Yukino returned—would the very man behind the lockdown of Chiba Prefecture break through their security and storm into their home?

And that man was none other than… Katsuhiko Yakushiji?

Wasn't that the name of a major corporate executive from Tokyo? The name and face matched perfectly, yet the news was declaring him a wanted terrorist…

Because the Yukinoshita family held considerable political sway in Chiba, and since Haruno was expected to inherit that political legacy, she had no trouble recognizing Katsuhiko Yakushiji.

And she knew her mother—the current head of the Yukinoshita family—had recognized him too. In fact, because they knew who he was, the entire household had become even more tense.

To forcibly rebrand the powerful head of a military-industrial firm as a terrorist—that sort of move could only come from the highest levels of authority.

The Cabinet? Or maybe the occupying forces? Given the scale of the lockdown, it was most likely the latter…

And for the occupying forces—who usually preferred to operate from the shadows—to break tradition and openly pursue Yakushiji, even going so far as to override local governance… Had he stolen a nuclear launch key or something?

As her thoughts spun wildly, Haruno exchanged a look with her mother, and her usually timid father followed suit, joining their silent communication.

Except for Yukino, who was still staring in shock at the news broadcast, trying to match the photo with the man now sitting in their living room, the rest of the Yukinoshita family had come to a unanimous, silent conclusion.

Katsuhiko Yakushiji's presence in their home must never be exposed.

If, earlier, they could claim to be victims—hostages taken by a wanted man—then from the moment Yakushiji was declared a fugitive, the dynamic shifted. Now, it wasn't that they'd been kidnapped… it was that they had tacitly allied themselves with him in the shadows.

To a family immersed in the world of politics like the Yukinoshitas, even if the hostage narrative were technically true, their political enemies would never buy it.

Even the most foolish opponent had intelligent advisors who knew exactly how to strike when someone was down.

Under current circumstances, labeling the Yukinoshitas as accomplices of Katsuhiko Yakushiji would be an easy political kill shot. From the moment he crossed their threshold and became a wanted man, the entire Yukinoshita household had been—in every sense—taken hostage.

This was a double-layered hostage situation, threatening both their physical safety and political survival.

"Mr. Yakushiji, may I ask what brings you to visit the Yukinoshita family today~?"

It was Haruno's mother who broke the silence first, her tone as warm and graceful as always—pretending as though this home invasion was merely a formal visit.

Her words immediately caught Katsuhiko Yakushiji's attention.

He looked at the whole family with mild surprise.

Aside from Yukino, who remained visibly uneasy and was clearly searching for some object she could use to defend herself, the rest of the family—or more precisely, the true heads of the Yukinoshita household—were far more composed than he expected. In fact, their expressions were even more grim than his, and he was the one being hunted by the government.

It didn't take much for Yakushiji to figure out what they were thinking.

"Heh… I heard years ago that the Yukinoshitas in Chiba had produced quite the capable woman. I assumed it was just empty praise, but now… maybe not."

He smiled at the family of three, looking as gentle and amiable as a kindly old grandfather out for a walk in the park.

But the image made Yukino deeply uncomfortable.

This man… he felt like filthy laundry wrung together in a washing machine—twisted, greasy, and utterly repulsive.

At the same time, she sensed something odd in her mother's choice of words, but for now, she couldn't decipher her true intentions.

"Those rumors were nothing more than empty words," her mother replied with a polite smile, though her voice carried undeniable authority. "But I do wonder, Mr. Yakushiji—what brings you to Chiba City today? If there's anything you require, the Yukinoshita family will assist you however we can."

"Mother?!" Yukino turned in shock, staring at her mother. Was she seriously offering to cooperate with a terrorist?! Had she gone mad?!

"Shut up, Yukino." Haruno placed a hand on her sister's shoulder. Though she wore a serene smile, her presence was cold and menacing—like a demon cloaked in human skin. "At least for now, just keep your mouth shut."

Yukino opened her mouth, only to close it again, lowering her head in silence.

Meanwhile, the Yukinoshita matriarch maintained her usual calm, unbothered by the chastising of her younger daughter. Her eyes remained fixed warmly on Yakushiji.

The older man looked deeply at the graceful woman before him, and there was something unreadable in his gaze that sent chills down everyone's spines.

"What a shame…"

It was unclear what he was lamenting. But immediately afterward, he said:

"There's no need to worry, Lady Yukinoshita. As long as you and your family stay quietly over there, that will be the greatest support you can offer me."

"Once the weekend is over and my personal affairs are settled, you will all be free to return to your lives."

His words were cryptic—none of the Yukinoshitas fully understood his meaning.

But one thing was clear enough:

Once the weekend ended, they would be released. And as long as they didn't cause trouble, their safety would be guaranteed for the time being.

Everyone exhaled—though the risk was still immense, at least their immediate survival was tentatively secured.

Just then, the door opened, and a middle-aged man in a black suit entered the room.

It was none other than Ken Yakushiji—the same man who had previously been captured and used as a sacrifice by Sharon. He looked more composed now, though deep anxiety still lingered in his expression.

Ken crossed the entryway into the living room. Upon seeing Katsuhiko Yakushiji, his expression changed instantly. He walked up quickly and lowered his voice.

"Uncle, we've confirmed that the SDS team dispatched here is the 3rd Operations Unit from Okinawa. They're being led by that lunatic, Hilda, and her elite red-clad squad."

He paused briefly, then added in a whisper:

"Also, our people confirmed that the entire Chiba Prefecture has been locked down by the garrison. All land, sea, and air routes have been cut off. If we want to escape, we might have to rely on concealed mountain paths."

"Uncle, at this point, we're basically sealed inside Chiba by the SDS."

"Sealed in?" Katsuhiko Yakushiji raised an eyebrow, then chuckled.

"Ken, I think you're misunderstanding something."

"You think the military's lockdown of Chiba was to trap us?"

His expression softened, now almost reverent.

"On the contrary… They're here to protect us."