The sudden sweeping chaos was perfect for someone poised to take over the world, starting with the United States and other decadent countries where such recreational pharmaceuticals were employed. Millions of their workforce suddenly developing problems with short term memory, dying in the streets in many cases.
With his robot legions, fanatical soldiers, and some blackmail in the right places, the Overlord had gone on to become a feared world leader. After an assassination attempt using poison gas had seared most of his flesh, the Overlord started wearing his trademark armor. More countries fell to him over the years, until in 1992 he was poised on the verge of conquering the world!
The truth was that he had all the resources he wanted and he wasn't particularly interested in those areas not under his control. Those places not conquered were allowed to continue on his own whim.
The motivation behind the most heavy-handed, brutal, and militaristic regimes ever developed? He'd simply been pushed one time too often. Seen the "authorities" look the other way one time too many. Felt the lash of impersonal cruelty imposed from above at a time when an admitted genius could have been content to simply run a personal business.
Unlike the typical opponent of a magical girl, he had simply gotten fed up when he was a child, had seen how the world worked, and had set out to do something about it.
Sitting back and holding up a glass of wine, the Overlord inspected it briefly for clarity and hue before sipping at it.
Whoever ruled the world had to put up with a lot of nonsense, but by being a ruthless Invincible Overlord, he could care about his people and his land. To his philosophy, people needed a certain degree of stability and security.
He cared about them. He wanted to bring peace and prosperity to his people. He wanted them not to have to fear crime and wars and the evils that man typically inflicted upon his environment - and that environment included his fellow man.
He had a daughter in time, Nodoka. Eventually she found a husband among his soldiers, a former wastrel and supply specialist named Genma Saotome. A petty thief who'd been caught and consigned to the military.
Genma had taken Ranma on a ten year training trip and the boy was certainly an accomplished fighter. When not around his grandfather, it was said the boy was brash and cocky. He relied on his own strength though, not his grandfather's rank or resources.
Ranma MIGHT make a decent prince one day. He had a lot of growing up to do and he was still seen by more than most as a bumbling fool. Gullible and about as subtle as a brick in the face. He would never make a suitable Overlord though. Within a year the petty bureaucrats would creep in, and a year later there would be successions. It would fall apart and all the old problems would be back in five years at most.
"Hmph. In order to be kind you have to be cruel. Now if my grandson would just learn that, and subtlety, and to keep his fool mouth shut, and... Boy had better get me some more heirs and soon," grumbled the old man in the armor. "Hmmm."
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(Posted Thu, 12 Aug 2004 09:38)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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