Canis Lycaøn Volume 2/Chapter

I cannot protect everything.

Therefore, I will absolutely protect those precious people within arms reach.

If it’s for the sake of that, I will slay everything.

Prologue
That girl, she disliked puppet shows. No, she was disgusted by them.

Standing behind the puppet, the puppet maker was making a series of movements to manipulate it using the strings, but nothing resembling good feelings came from that.

The reason had been clear. From as far back as the girl could remember a  cold apparition  had appeared in her  immediate vicinity.

Anger, joy, sadness, whenever the girl’s mind and body were enwrapped with such human emotions, that cold apparition of ice would appear with absolute certainty——.

When it appears, it was always from beside the girl or from behind her.

Even if the girl spoke to it, even if the girl shouted at it, the ice apparition, far from expressing any emotions, didn’t offer up even a single word. On the contrary, it didn’t so much as tremble. Quite simply, it was just there. For her who was ranting and raving about the apparition, her childish mind found that dolls, which were similar to the apparition, to be completely detestable.

For that reason, she disliked puppet shows. Because she’d end up feeling as though the ice apparition was manipulating her with invisible strings——.

Even if she spoke to her loveable parents about the apparition, thinking it was a joke of their daughter's, merely a delusion of childhood, they didn’t pay any serious attention to it. Most frighteningly, the ice apparition would be standing beside her parents’ bed when they were sleeping at night. It watched her father and mother’s faces with a silent gaze. Fearing that it would make her parents disappear, the girl completely despised the ice apparition.

Then one year, when the girl was nine years old, a tragedy occurred.

She lost both her parents simultaneously——.

Having worked together at the same place, her parents were caught up in a mysterious accidental explosions at their workplace…….

She couldn’t remember exactly what happened after that. Being informed of the death of her parents, completing the funeral service, being unable to find relatives who could care for her going forward……. All the girl remembered was that, in her profound misery, she came to embrace complex emotions towards the ice apparition.

By the time she noticed, she was in the home of an unfamiliar old woman who was wearing a plain smile.

The old woman——was a witch, a magician. On top of believing in the girl’s ice apparition, she instructed her in regards to the apparition.

——I will teach you magic.

Displaying a gentle expression, the old woman taught the girl, who was accompanied by the apparition, a miraculous power——magic.

The old woman would address the girl whenever she would distance herself from the apparition.

——Listen, Lavinia. You mustn’t be afraid of your own power.

The old woman who was teaching the girl named Lavinia——her witch master, always spoke tenderly to her pupil who feared her own power.

——Magic is a miraculous power can bring happiness to everyone, and concerning that puppet of ice——————.

Part 1
That place——was darkness.

Without any light, it was a jet blackness without any impurity where not a sound could be heard——.

His eyes should be open and yet it was dark, he should have been carefully listening and yet not even the smallest sound could be heard.

Even if he moved his finger he couldn’t feel anything. No, to begin with, whether he was even moving his finger, whether his finger was even moving, he couldn’t sense even that——.

Noticing that he couldn’t hear even his own heartbeat, he——Ikuse Tobio pondered whether he was hallucinating of his own death but…….

Together with a snapping sound sound like that of having received an electric shock, he was assaulted by sharp pain throughout his entire body along with a feeling like his nerves were being scrapped.

Shutting his eyes in pain, when he next opened them——light had spread before his eyes. A white arm reached out from in front of him.

It seemed to him that the arm was of someone familiar. The arm of someone holding out a hand to him as though to pull him up. To seize it, Tobio stuck out his own right arm but——. His right arm, it was jet black.

The black arm did not appear at all to be that of a human——. Being covered with black body hair, having the nails of the five fingers be completely sharp, it was like that of a beast’s.

Tobio touched his hand to his own face. For the first time, what he sensed there was something utterly foreign when compared to his own face.

A protruding mouth, ears that rose to a point, and his whole face was covered with hair the same as his arm.

The arm of somebody reaching out from the light——was gradually getting further away. Tobio hurriedly reached out to seize the arm, but there was no indication of it reaching.

As it was, he did not seize that person’s hand. Something, if there was something he could do to reach it……!

Thinking this much, what crossed his mind was a distorted protuberance. If he were to consider it, it would seem that something would grow out of his arm. With that he should be able to reach that hand.

——That’s no good. If I extend that protuberance, that Blade, I’ll cut that person’s hand.

For shortening the distance with that receding important person, only that disgusting blade——.

Suddenly that voice whispered close to his ear.

‘——Your blade, it reaches just about anything. However, your blade, it wounds everything——’

That voice, it finished speaking by ridiculing him.

‘——After all, you have already ceased being human.’

Part 2
——Morning.

At the time he woke up, Tobio was sweating to an unusual degree.

Raising just his upper body, he meaninglessly took in the view of the room. His breathing was wild, and his heart was also beating violently. He realized his entire body was shivering.

He had surprised the black dog that had been sleeping curled up in the center of the room, namely his partner «Jin».

At first he had been a puppy, however during the incident a few days before he had been a splendid mature large dog. Naturally, this was through quite a different method than the usual one…….

While taking a deep breath, Tobio covered his face with his hand. Drops of water got on his hands. They were tears.

——Just what was that dream…….

A nightmare that was like a vision beyond comparison. Calming his breath, with the beating of his heart returning to normal, he took a single large deep breath.

——Let’s get out of bed.

Deciding this, Tobio started to get up and removed the thin covers. Suddenly his hand touched something. ——It was, squishy.

Hm? Tobio became aware of a mysterious softness being transmitted from his hand. Having a suspicion, he shifted his gaze to the area beside him on the bed.

“Uun……”

…………

In an instant, Tobio’s thoughts soared.

Odd. It was so odd. A girl was sleeping next to him. Her figure was one garbed in only a single white undershirt. What burst into his healthy young male eyes was a pair of dangerously white bare legs.

——It was Minagawa Natsume.

She was a girl he was familiar with. However, it was odd. Since she ought to be sleeping in a different room in the same apartment building. Wondering if he was still half-asleep himself, he shook his head. He also rubbed his eyes while he was at it.

Blinking his eyes, for the second time he checked who it was who was sleeping next to him.

“Just a minute heree……, why are you taking iiit……”

Speaking complaints while sleeping, she pulled the thin covers that had been removed back over herself.

No no, you wait just a moment. You entered my room without me noticing? No, that’s not it. The issue is why this girl has climbed into my bed.

Calm down, calm down me! Just take a great deep breath just like before.

It’s no good——. I can’t calm down. Being next to a girl in the captivating form of a white undershirt, for Tobio who is of that age it’s a sight for sore eyes——not that, it’s poisonous. Since the hair that she always wears up has been let down, it gives off a sexy impression. Moreover, it’s somewhat disheveled. It seems she was tossing and turning in her sleep.

Tobio shook the shoulder of the girl sleeping next to him.

“H-Hey. Wake up I say.”

“……Uh. Come on, just a bit more……. After all, yesterday was munya munya……”

Yesterday was what!? Did I do something yesterday!? No matter how many times I wrack my brain, I can’t remember a thing. ……Let me just get changed and then held to the apartment building’s communal floor. Let’s do that.

Slipping out of bed ever so slowly, Tobio moved to in front of the closet.

Taking off his sleep wear while letting out a sigh, it happened just as he was taking out his clothes.

The intercom made a ‘pin pon’ sound. ——And, at the same time, without missing a beat, his ears detected the door to the entranceway opening with a clank.

“Yoo, Ikuse, you getting up?”

Samejima! It was Samejima Kouki who was living in the same apartment building. His great voice could be heard from the entranceway. All at once unpleasant sweat was spurting out of his entire body.

“Hm? What, so you haven’t gotten up yet. So be it. Then I’ll start by waking you up.”

Together with Samejima’s voice, the sound of loud footsteps advancing could be heard from the corridor.

“Hey, Ikuse. Are you up?”

“I came together with Shark and Damian since you are being slow.”

Even Damian and Lavinia’s voices could be heard! Somehow or another, Damian and the magical girl Lavinia had also come to visit Tobio’s room along with Samejima.

“Hey, is Minagawa Natsume not in her room or something? Rather than that, why do I got to do kid’s errands……”

“Hey, I'm here too!”

Even the silver and orange-haired and crimson-eyed boys——Vali and Asriel had both come!?

Wait! Just wait there! This is bad! Minagawa Natsume is sleeping in my bed! Moreover, it’s at the precise moment when I’m half naked from changing out of my sleep wear!

If this spectacle were to be seen, I wouldn’t know what to say about it!

“For Tobio, it’s rare that he has problems in the morning.”

——!! T-This voice is the voice of his childhood friend Sae!! Not just Samejima, Damian and Lavinia, even the one person who mustn’t see this had come along as well!?

“Uun……. Fuhaa……. Geez, don’t raise your voices so much in the morning.”

As though it was the final blow, the voice of the one who had woken up was heard from behind him.

In his current state of having removed his sleep wear——the half-naked Tobio turned his head, and his gaze met with that of Natsume who had raised only her upper body from the bed.

As Tobio’s facial expression was twitching,

“……………”

Natsume’s state was one of a frozen expression from being unable to swallow the present situation.

She visually compared the half-naked Tobio with the state she herself was in. Slowly returning to the clothes she had slept in, her face gradually turned red. Suddenly, grabbing the thin sheet, she covered half of her face. Ever so fleetingly glancing in Tobio’s direction, she hid her face with the thin sheet in embarrassment.

Eh? What’s with that reaction…….

If it had been the her he usually sees, he would expect her to have raised an angry voice and thrown a pillow at him. At the unexpected reaction from Natsume, Tobio was also perplexed.

“So this is, a sleep assault……”

Natsume let out a slightly disappointed chuckle.

No no no no.

“T-That’s not it! That is——”

“No. I don’t blame you Ikuse-kun. You are of that age after all. I’ve heard after all that, for a boy, there are some things they just can’t control……”

This young woman, she had managed to completely misunderstand……. This was an extremely awkward development.

“Just a, no no. That’s not it I say——”

Wanting to explain, Tobio unconsciously approached Natsume while in his half-naked state.

“Yo—! Tobio—!”

The boy who with the appearance of a delinquent who opened the door with a vigorous bang——Samejima Kouki, had his smiling face solidify upon seeing the situation inside the room.

She whose face was blushing while on the bed, and him who was approaching her who was on the bed while half-naked.

From a third-person perspective, they’d all think the same thing when shown something like this.

“……Ah. Ah—, did I interrupt?”

The expression of Samejima, who was using polite speech that usually his mouth never uttered, was so idiotic as to be unsuited to his aggressive look. As for the one who entered after him——.

“What’s the story with Ikuse Tobio? I’ll be needing breakfast soo……”

It was Vali, but the moment he tried to see the current situation, the person who was standing behind him——Lavinia covered his eyes with her hands.

“? Hey, I can’t see anything?”

“A scene like this is too soon for Vah-kun.”

“What? It’s no good even for I who carry the blood of a God? Is that so……”

And then, the last one to enter——.

“……Tobio?”

It was Sae——.

……Ah, aah, aaaaah……. The number one person who shouldn’t see this situation had seen it. Tobio covered his face with his hands. He couldn’t come up an excuse.

——For Tobio’s first day, this was the worst possible start.

Part 3
That day’s breakfast was something unpleasant.

In a vacant room in the apartment building that anyone could enter, Tobio was sighing with his face having been dyed a deep red, and meanwhile the appearance of Minagawa Natsume was similarly one of having a flushed face.

Natsume in particular was feeding the falcon that was perched on her shoulder. Her falcon was named Gryphon.

Sitting opposite the pair, Samejima, while sinking his teeth into the bread that was for breakfast, was alternatingly comparing the pair of Tobio and Natsume.

On Samejima’s lap, a white cat was curled up asleep having already finished its meal. His cat was Byakusa.

Next to Samejima was Damian, who, while slurping up his noodles, was feeding his raptor, Esther, who right next to himself.

Lavinia was quietly sipping her soup while Vali——was stuffing his face with a loaf of bread that had been filled with ham and eggs that had been mixed with sauce, mayonnaise, and ketchup.

When it had been the morning of a holiday, everyone had been wearing household clothing. For Tobio it had been a T-shirt up top with shorts down below, for Natsume it had been a camisole and hot pants, Damian and Samejima had both also been in clothes like Tobio, but Damian had long tracksuit pants below and Samejima had had a tank top on his upper half. Natsume had let down her hair from its usual up style she always wore. According to Samejima, this had given her a “birdish looking head.” She had raged against this saying “Are you saying I’m birdbrained!?” though……

Lavinia had been in casual clothes, and Vali had been dressed in a T-shirt and shorts, with the same muffler as usual on his neck.

Specifically for Lavinia, Asriel and Vali, their appearances were currently the same as their usual ones. It seemed that they had stockpiled several identical sets of clothing.

A period of strange silence continued for those seven. The clattering of spoons and forks was greatly audible.

Perhaps being unable to endure this atmosphere, Samejima opened his mouth as his temple was twitching.

“Isn’t this good enough already. It seems that it was a misunderstanding. Isn’t it the case that nothing happened in Ikuse and Minagawa’s room?”

Samejima had already been given an explanation for that scene.

As a result of regularly seeing Natsume, an absent mindedly hurried young woman, the diligent Tobio had understood with just the single statement of “It’s a misunderstanding.”

Uncomfortably, Natsume——sent a fleeting gaze over towards Tomoe Sae.

“……That’s not the problem. I think it was truly abominable for Tomoe-san……”

Sae and Tobio’s gazes——met. Immediately both their faces were blushing. It seemed that Natsume was being considerate of Tobio and Sae, but despite being childhood friends, as it was the two of them weren’t facing each other and were simultaneously feeling embarrassed.

Samejima chewed on his cheek.

“Well, for a man, isn’t one or more affairs just fine? Even you, Ikuse, wouldn’t you want to get close with several girls?”

Like so, he readily replied.

DOGAH! That was the sound of the chop of Natsume, who had been leaning against the table, striking the top of Samejima’s head. As Samejima was grasping his head that had been chopped, Natsume stammered with her head in her arms.

“ARE YOU A FOOL! Goodness, you went and said that in front of these two! Uuh! It’s not like that, I swear it’s not like that Ikuse-kun, Tomoe-san! Yesterday, I got up to go to the toilet late at night! The next thing I knew, I was in Ikuse-kun’s bed——”

Having spoken to that extent she covered her face with both hands in embarrassment.

“Now I can’t be a bride!”

“W-Wait. Doesn’t that completely make it seem as though I’m the bad guy?”

As one would expect even Tobio objected to this.

“Then again, going to the bathroom, only to then slip into the bed of a guy in a different room, that ain’t no ordinary feat. Furthermore after today is when we start attending that  mock school .”

While rubbing the place where he’d been chopped, Samejima who was feeling on edge spoke.

“Shut up shut up shut uuupp! You who rides around on his bike all year round can’t talk!”

“Whazzat you say!”

Somehow or another, today also started with an early morning battle between Natsume and Samejima. Moreover, they didn’t even take heed of Tobio’s objection.

Tobio sighed as a result of feeling astonished. As he looked over in Sae’s direction——she, watching Natsume and Samejima’s argument, laughed ever so slightly.

……The misunderstanding had been resolved then. Well, their relationship was one of having spent time together since they were kids. With Sae, Tobio could be relieved since she understood him better than anyone.

At Tobio’s feet, the large black dog——Jin had just finished his meal. He had slurped down one kilo of boiled chicken tenderloin that had been prepared for him. Since he was a large dog after all, it was normal that he’d be able to eat a meal of this quantity. Furthermore he would have this amount twice between the morning and evening. ……Tobio understood that a meal of such a size was  abnormal  but…….

When they’d first met, Jin had been quite small, but in such a short time he’d become this big——. Tobio had stopped feeling that what had befallen him was such a bizarre experience.

Since the preceding incident——the battle against the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, two months had passed. The five of them, Tobio, Sae, Natsume, Damian, and Samejima, who had been wrapped up in that incident, after it suddenly ended, they met again in this apartment building, and a new life had started for them.

For Tobio and the others, having come into contact with this country’s darkness, not to mention the world of the supernatural and fantastic, they couldn’t expect to return to their original lives. Relying on the organization that was currently looking after them——the ‘‘, Tobio and the others had dropped out of the schools they had been attending.

For about two months since then, while living on standby in the apartment building, they had been engaging in self-study.

Sae and Samejima had borne injuries from that incident, however, also due to the support of the Grigori, they had displayed favorable resilience——no, resilience that was beyond expectations, and they had already become capable of conducting themselves in their daily lives without issue. For Samejima, due to being a possessor of an independent avatar type ancient gear, it seemed that his resilience had been bolstered by conforming with Byakusa, or so they’d been told by the organization.

As for Sae’s case……from previously having the the black lion dwelling in her, they had been informed that there may have been some kind of influence on her physical body. They weren’t aware of any side effects resulting from the techniques the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ had employed on the other participants, and so it was still necessary for her to be examined daily by the Grigori. It would be nice if it remains uneventful but……such was Tobio’s sole desire for tranquility.

In the midst of this, it had been decided that today Tobio and the others were going to be brought by someone from the Grigori to the institution——referred to as ‘‘, an institution attended by children who possessed ancient gears, where they would shown around.

This apartment building itself was also a student dormitory for students of that this institution. Tobio hadn’t yet seen any residents aside from themselves. However, from the way the communal floor was being used, there were clearly people other than themselves living there.

As they had been informed in an earlier conversation, it had been decided that Tobio and the others would be enrolling a class called ‘Barakiel Classroom’.

He met Sae’s gaze. Sae, at the look from Tobio, felt uneasy about her own appearance.

“……As expected, these clothes are a bit strange.”

Regarding what Sae, who has spoken such words, was wearing——it was the Nephlim uniform provided by the Grigori. Not just Sae, Tobio, Natsume, Damian, and Samejima had also dressed in the Nephilim uniform.

It was a uniform with a considerable design style. The underlying color was blue……but rather than that, what concerned Tobio and the others was how the design was a slight departure from the norm.

Rather than a school uniform, it was more like the of uniforms of boys and girls belonging to  special countermeasure organizations like those middle and high school students seen in manga and anime. At a glance, it looks like nothing more than cosplay.

For this even Natsume and Samejima stopped their quarrel to voice their opinions. Standing up from her place, Natsume held the hem of her skirt.

“Certainly, the skirt is a little bit short.”

Catching a glimpse of the healthy thighs of a female high school student that the skirt offered a peek of, Tobio ended up averting his gaze.

Also putting a finger into his uniform’s collar, Samejima acted all bothered.

“Geez, so casual wear just ain’t no good huh. This is extremely formal for me.”

Everyone seemed to feel the same way. For Tobio……though he would also have preferred an ordinary uniform, rather than that he had felt delight at being able to study even after falling down to such a level as this.

In this supposed ‘classroom’ of Nephilim, it was possible to study normally like students——or so he was informed. For that he was grateful. Even if their lives as ordinary humans had been snatched away, he still wanted to obtain an education like an ordinary human. With this his knowledge to drop below the average compared to that of other children the same age as him.

However, what they’d be learning wasn’t limited to just that.

——According to what he’s been told, they’d be learning about the proper way to make use of sacred gears, as well as ways to battle supernatural power users and irregular beings.

Having been bestowed with such irregular powers themselves, this wasn’t something they could ignore. Unless they could master them, even this current lifestyle could be destroyed. This alone they wanted to avoid. Since they had finally overcome that kind of experience to obtain tranquility——.

Indeed, by surmounting so many obstacles and tragedies, Tobio and the others were here now.

Since then, the remnants of the Utsusemi Agency and those magicians cooperating with them——’The Wizards of Oz’, hadn’t come to attack them. However, that this was the end……was not what it seemed to be.

This was a temporary reprieve. On this everyone’s opinions were in agreement.

There were also the other surviving students other than themselves——the Four Fiends. By chance, it was possible they were fighting the enemy even right now.

Thinking that way, they couldn’t help but to feel guilty about the tranquility even if it was temporary.

However, Tobio had cherished this calm period. That which he had lost had been immense, but that he had obtained was also immense. It was certainly because of this situation that he had met Natsume Damian, Samejima, Lavinia, Vali and Asriel. More than anything else he was even once again laughing with Sae. He wanted to cherish this environment.

As Tobio was thinking over this once again, Sae raised her hand.

“Though I was thinking of making curry for this evening, are there any ingredients everyone wants added in, or else something you can’t handle?”

Sae had started living here together with Tobio and the others. She had been living separately from her parents who had been rescued.

Since Sae’s family had also taken part in that incident they were in the position of not leading ordinary lives. Receiving the Grigori’s cooperation, they were living new lives under altered identities in a remote region untouched by evil influence.

This was also done for the other students and their family members who were rescued from the research institution. Under the supervision of the Grigori, they were now living peaceful lives somehow. The Grigori had altered a portion of their memories but……what’s most important is that they’re living without issues, is what Tobio thought.

From among them, Tomoe Sae had wanted to accompany Tobio and the others. She was still living while relying on a cane, however she was healthy aside from that. For the group of Tobio and the others, she was the primary person in charge of cooking.

Natsume and Damian raised their hands.

“Ah, I’d like fukujinzuke and rakkyou for a garnish if it’s not an issue.”

“If it’s not an issue, I'd like some curry with a omurice and a slice of toast.”

“Apart from the standard I’d say it’s fine with nothing else,”

So said Samejima. For him, rather than exquisite cooking, he preferred familial flavors. On this point he was quite compatible with Sae’s cooking (as well as Tobio’s cooking). As a juvenile delinquent, he hadn’t complained even once about Sae’s cooking.

Lavinia also raised her hand.

“Something sweet is fine by me.”

Sae collected everyone’s opinions.

“Yes, I got it. Something sweet for Tobio as well right. We always end up making two pans simultaneously.”

Vali suddenly spoke after having drank his milk.

“Curry’s not anything to fuss over in particular, but I would at least like you to stir in some medium-fine Chinese noodles.”

Natsume retorted at Vali.

“Even though it’s curry, just how do Chinese noodles fit in?”

“Fuh, it seems you are unaware, Minagawa Natsume. When you add curry to medium-fine boiled noodles it becomes curry ramen. With the curry powder mixing with the curled noodles, it is considerably appetizing.”

“For Vah-kun, he puts noodles in even in stew.”

It was Lavinia who said this.

……So Vali puts noodles in even in curry and stew huh. Come to think of it, Tobio had experienced him having asked “Are there no noodles?” when they had previously made curry or stew.

Samejima blew out a ‘bufuh’ sound.

“Lucidra-sensei is consistently on about noodles noodles noodles. Because of the strange nutritional balance, that must be why he’s so small.”

Vali was dissatisfied with this.

“Mumuh! Samejima Kouki, I should have told you to stop saying Lucidra already.”

Natsume also shrugged her shoulders at Vali’s taste.

“No no, udon with leftover curry, spaghetti with leftover stew……if it’s those sorts of things I’m aware of it.”

“A connoisseur would throw in Chinese noodles.”

Throwing out his chest with an ‘ahem’, the silver haired boy was continuing to speak of noodles……but suddenly sensing a presence behind him he raised some gossip without even turning his head around.

“Well well, it’s unusual for you to come here in the morning. ——Azazel.”

Everyone’s gaze converged on a single point.

Without anyone realizing, a man in a suit had come in and had willfully opened the room’s refrigerator. It appeared to have been of the worn-out expensive sort. As for the man, popping the lid on a carbonated drink PET bottle that had been in the refrigerator, he was gulping it down.

Sitting down at an empty seat at the table, he surveyed everyone present.

“Yo, young ladies and gentlemen.”

“Governor-General Azazel!”

Natsume and Damian had both been surprised at the entrance of the man——the Grigori’s Governor-General Azazel. Since his entrance had been sudden, not only Natsume and Damian, Tobio, Sae, and Samejima had also been surprised.

As for Vali, Asriel and Lavinia, they showed no sign of surprise and appeared to be calmly accepting Azazel…….

Azazel inquired of Tobio and the others.

“How’s the flavor? Excuse me, if I may request two slices of bread, tomoe Sae.”

Azazel asked Sae for the bread. Unconsciously replying “Y-Yes,” Sae placed two slices of bread into the toaster.

Vali inquired of Azazel.

“For you to expressly show up at the meal table, is that to say that you have some sort of business?”

While gulping down the carbonated drink, Azazel spoke.

“Well, that’s also the case, but it’s merely ——that’s seems unnecessarily distant. should be fine. There’s also me wanting to have some skinship with you guys. Hey, isn’t today the day you move in? Well, I am in the position of running this institution. Isn’t it fine to have such morning interactions with transfer students?”

Azazel came into contact with them in a friendly manner.

He wasn’t a hateful person. The guidance given to Tobio as well as to Natsume and the others, as well as the students of Ryoukou, it was undoubtedly the kindness of this man. This being the case, even eating with Sae who was living, it was because of Azazel’s cooperation.

However, he couldn’t perceive it——. His true motivations was the one truth he still couldn’t grasp. For him to have come here like this, perhaps there was something behind this “skinship”. This man’s true motive was completely imperceivable.

Azazel had produced a booklet from his breast pocket. It was familiar to Tobio and the others. For checking out ‘Nephilim’, it seemed that this was the so-called ‘enrollment guidebook’.

Azazel flipped through the guidebook with one hand.

“Just in case, have you looked it over?”

Tobio, Sae, Natsume, and Damian nodded. Samejima had averted his eyes…….

To summarize what was written in the guidebook, it was about the kind of place ‘Nephilim’ was, the kind of people who attended it, and what was taught there. After that, it was also written there about the oath to be followed by those living in the institution, as well as the penalty for breaking that oath.

Having been written out in excessively other-worldly language, though it wasn’t Vali, it ended up seeming like the literary work settings written by a boy with second-year-of-junior-high-sickness. However, that place was now their everyday world——.

Compared with the lives they’d been enjoying until just a short time before, this was like being plunged into a world that was completely cut off from their earlier lives.

Having acknowledged the response from Tobio and the others, Azazel displayed a grinning smile.

“If so then fine. Well, you can ask a staff member if there’s anything you don’t understand.”

There was a sound that the bread in the toaster had been baked. Sae delivered it to Azazel.

Azazel spoke while chewing it.

“Once I’ve eaten, I’ll teach you the way to get to ‘Nephilim’.”

Like that, breakfast (with a strange atmosphere swirling about) continued along with Azazel.

Part 4
Having finished breakfast, Tobio and the others, carrying their bags, had made preparations for the school commute.

Following Azazel who had been waited for them on the first floor of the apartment building, on top of not exiting the building, they were heading towards the apartment building’s elevator.

Despite feeling suspicious, the travel group of Tobio and the others continued following Azazel.

Before entering the elevator, Azazel handed over something like black colored ID cards.

“These are ID cards exclusive for authorized personnel……well, if it from the perspective of you guys they’re your student cards.”

Tobio took one. While the black card had no picture, it did have letters on it that were unreadable to Tobio.

Azazel, before embarking on the elevator, prompted Tobio and the others to get on. The ancient gears of Tobio and the others——their partners Jin, Gryphon, Esther, and Byakusa also accompanied their masters. Jin was at Tobio’s side, Gryphon was on Natsume’s shoulder, Esther was behind Damian's legs, and Byakusa was at Samejima’s feet.

However, Lavinia, Vali and Asriel didn’t board the elevator.

Lavinia spoke.

“Since I’m not a student there, we will not be going there together. However, I will be coming together with Vah-kun and Asri-chan later to observe.”

“Well, it would be good if you were to become accustomed to the strange area before we come.”

Vali spoke with his usual ‘fufun’ as part of his impertinent attitude.

“Well then, see you later.”

As soon as Azazel had said his farewell to Lavinia, Vali and Asriel, the elevator door shut.

Without pressing any of the buttons inside, Azazel held the ID cards from earlier in front of a certification device that was below the buttons. Subsequently, without delay the elevator——was going down.

When they had boarded, they’d been on the first floor. For them to be descending even with that being the case——.

“This apartment building actually has a basement.”

Samejima was smiling bitterly.

Somehow or another, there were plenty of devices in this apartment building that they were unaware of.

However, even Tobio had been aware of the existence of the certification device in the elevator. Each and every time he rode the elevator it had concerned him. He couldn’t possibly have imagined that it was for the sake of going to the basement.

It had been tens of seconds since they had gotten on. The elevator was still descending. Even Tobio realized that it this wasn’t the level for a basement. The number that showed the floor, it had stopped functioning as a result of not knowing there exact position.

From among those on board, Natsume spoke to Azazel.

“Hey, Governor-General! Is it alright if I ask a question?”

“Sure, Minagawa Natsume-kun, what it is?”

You, the Governor-General, you name is Azazel correct? Isn’t that also the name of a fallen angel that appears in the Bible?”

Indeed, that had been something Tobio was also concerned about. He——Azazel had introduced himself as an angel, seraphs as their called, who had fallen, a fallen angel. Based on Tobio’s repeated investigations, the name Grigori was written in myths——which were related to the Old Testament. In there, it was written that the Grigori leader was also named Azazel.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Azazel calmly confirmed it.

……The man before their eyes, he was an existence on the mythological level, and the boss of the fallen angel organization……. Natsume gave a delighted “Whoa”, but Tobio felt an indescribable fear.

Even as they were having that conversation, the elevator finally arrived.

What was there as the door opened——was an open white space. The ceiling was high, it was horizontally long, and its depth was considerable. Subsequently, the floor at Azazel’s feet opened, and some kind of machine rose up from below.

It resembled an automatic ticket machine like those from station ticket barriers.

Azazel spoke while waving the card in his hand.

“This is one of the gates leading to ‘Nephilim’. Watch closely. I’ll go through first, so you head through by copying me.”

While speaking, Azazel held his card in front of the machine. A green lamp on the machine displayed an arrow. Azazel went past the ticket machine——and disappeared while enveloped in a faint light!

Azazel, who had been there until just a moment ago, had completely vanished! They immediately realized that is was a special power of the ticket machine…….

“Heh, how interesting.”

Natsume was full of glee at this phenomenon that had occurred before them. Heading in front of the ticket machine, she unhesitatingly imitated Azazel from just before and held her card in front of the machine. After that, as she passed by——as before, Natsume also vanished while enveloped in light.

“Guess we just gotta go huh.”

While exhaling, Samejima proceeded after Natsume, then Damian after him.

Nodding to each other, Tobio and Sae pursued Natsume, Damian and Samejima——.



Passing the ticket machine, he was awaiting being enveloped by the light from before——.

What appeared before Tobio’s eyes——was someplace inside of a building.

Different from the space from before, what appeared to be the building’s interior had a lustrous black interior design. He checked in front of him, where there was a long passageway leading deeper inside. As he looked to the side, there were ticket machines lined up to the left and right, and when he glanced behind, there as well was a long passageway stretching deeper inside. With a high ceiling, he could tell that the buildings interior occupied a huge space.

“Alright, everyone’s here then. Welcome to the ‘Nephilim Institute’.”

Having finally arrived, Azazel spoke these words welcoming Tobio and the others.

Natsume, Damian, Samejima, and Azazel, having passed the ticket gate machine first, were waiting……and there was one other, a tall man who was standing there. He had a good physique and muscular features. Even Tobio and the others could perceive from his presence that he was no ordinary person.

Having noticed their concern over the man’s presence, Azazel introduced him.

“You’re thinking he’s the one put in charge of your guys’ training huh. That’s exactly right, I requested that of this person who is presently an off duty member of my staff. This guy is a part of the Grigori management, and his name——is Baraqiel.”

The man——the man referred to as Baraqiel, took a step forward.

“I’ll be in your care if you’ll please.”

It was a simple greeting. ……But, the man was staring fixedly at Tobio.

It was bothering Tobio but……the man named Baraqiel,

“Sorry, your face was a little like someone I’m familiar with. Pay it no mind.”

He gave such a two line apology.

However, this person was ‘Baraqiel’……. Given the name ‘Barakiel Class’, this person would be Tobio and the other's…….

Slapping Baraqiel’s back, Azazel spoke to everyone.

“So with that, for the near future starting from today you’ll be looking to Baraqiel here for your instruction. Since you’ll also be depending on him for guidance within the institution, well, you should get used to the lifestyle here pretty soon.”

Like this, the new lifestyle——or perhaps ordeal of Tobio and the others had started.

Part 1
Since Tobio and the others had come to the Grigori training institution——’‘, half a month had passed.

As for what they were learning while commuting there, beginning from general education, they were simultaneously taught everything about the supernatural and fantastical beings that existed in this world.

Naturally, Nephilim was not an official school. Tentatively, there were several classes and scores of boys and girls who wear enrolled here, but for sake of Tobio and the others who had just entered  this world  they had to acquire this knowledge first. Seeing how they will be living from now on, they must at minimum be aware of the supernatural and the fantastical. For that reason, after they began by greeting the students who were studying at this institution, Tobio and the others were gathered together in a distinct class.

Concerning supernatural powers, primarily it was explanations of the sacred treasures——the sacred gears that resided within them, though they had also experienced magic like that Lavinia used.

Concerning the fantastical, the lesson content had them reviewing demons captured by the Grigori——monsters.

In other words, the quintet of Tobio, Sae, Natsume, Damian, and Samejima, in the half month they had been coming to ‘Nephilim’, they were being trained in the education and knowledge of a life they had never experienced until now, as well as a world they had had no connection to until now.

Just recently, concerning Tobio who, manifesting supernatural power of his own, had started a battle with another supernatural power user, it was an often repeated story that was astonishing……no, one that seemed like a joke.

Nonetheless, it was a fact that it had happened to him and that he was now being taught about it. Supernatural power was a reality, and residing within him specifically, there existed both magic and a demon. That was something he keenly experienced for himself in the earlier battle while his life was exposed to mortal peril.

However, apart from the knowledge and education he obtained in the tranquility that had come in the aftermath of the battle, what he was being taught was nothing but perplexing.

While furrowing his brow at this state of affairs, he expressed himself like so.

“……It seems just like they’re seriously explaining what things from fantasy consist of……”

It may have been inevitable that he ended up thinking like that. The lessons he was receiving on the supernatural and the fantastical were to such a degree that they were beyond the scope of common sense. Still, seeing as he was living here, this was elementary knowledge and the basis of information. It seemed to be impossible to live as a student here and not know about these things.

Despite being taught the surface knowledge, there were also lessons in moving one’s body, what one could call physical education much like that of actual schoolwork.

At this precise moment, the trio of Tobio, Damian and Samejima, dressed in athletic wear, were continuing to run in the institution’s indoor running track.

Having circled the track many times, they at last finished the proscribed distance of fifteen kilometers.

Having finished first, Samejima sat down immediately upon reaching the goal, where he was violently breathing with a ‘zuuhaa’ sound. Samejima, with sweat being released from his whole body, cursed.

“……Geez, making us run kilometer after kilometer……! It’s like we’re aiming for the Olympics……! I haven’t run like this since middle school……!”

Having reached the goal after Samejima and Damian, Tobio spoke while gasping for breath.

“……According to what Baraqiel-sensei says, it’s because it all starts with stamina……. ……I feel I somehow or another get why the stamina to run from place to place is necessary to start with. After all, we’re beginners in this world. Since there’ll probably be those relentlessly aiming for the lives of even us who are just beginners, if we don’t at least have the stamina to run around……it certainly wouldn’t be strange if we died the next time.”

They were being taught all kinds of things by the fallen angel leader——Baraqiel.

Concerning the main system at ‘Nephilim’, it was a case where a prescribed number of students would receive guidance under a single teacher. Collecting several students in one classroom, it differed from the nature of a typical school where the teachers would switch for each subject. For that reason, in the case of Tobio and the others, they were receiving lessons under Baraqiel. In this case, they became known as the students of ‘Barakiel Class’.

There were a limited number of Grigori leaders, so receiving instruction under one is extremely valuable, or so the Governor-General Azazel had said.

Was that due to the expectations for Tobio and the others, or else was it due to them being regarded as dangerous——.

That Baraqiel, after having taught them fundamental knowledge, he had assigned Tobio and the others to raise their stamina. No matter what, without stamina they would not move to a higher level. For that reason, they had been assigned some thorough running to perform.

In Samejima’s case, he had suffered serious injuries in the earlier battle, but having already completed recovered to almost his usual condition, he was also running the long distance while leaving his complaints behind due to having been rehabilitated. He was told that this was also a function of the Sacred Gear that resided within him. The white cat that was his Ancient Gear——Byakusa, stepping up to his master who had returned from the long distance run, had been acting spoiled while rubbing its head up against him.

Speaking of Ancient Gears, in the case of Tobio’s and Damian's partners Jin and Esther, having run alongside their respective masters for the fifteen kilometers, they had sat down politely just past the goal. Unlike their masters, neither Jin or Esther hadn’t run out of breath even once.

Whether it was his stamina that was terrible, or else Sacred Gears don’t feel tired……. In any case, his master, who was in bad shape, was next to Jin making ‘zu-ha-‘ sounds while being out of breath.

Tobio, who was rehydrating, after stretching his body to its limits, picked up a rope for the sake of doing the rope skipping exercise that was next on the regimen.

Giving a sidelong glance at Tobio who had started skipping rope and Damian who was drinking a bottle of water, Samejima spoke.

“……I was thinking since before, Ikuse, Damian, but rather than being an honors student, do you just hate to lose?”

He lead off like that.

“What’s this so suddenly?”

“Huh?”

Samejima spoke to Tobio and Damian who had asked him back while jumping.

“Well. You’re behavior is exemplary like an honors student, and yet there’s something about the glare in your eye, like you won’t show any weakness even if it’s only to the dog who’s your alter ego.”

Samejima also started skipping rope beside Tobio and Damian.

“To start with I’m not an honors student. My studies are reasonably fair, and with physical strength as well my forte is just not standing out.”

As Tobio said, since the time he’d been at Ryoukou High School he hadn’t been the kind to stand out. He was just a typical high school boy whose studies were reasonably fine, and whose physical training was neither passing or failing. As for his childhood friend Sae, she was the one who was popular in class.

Hearing that Samejima laughed.

“That’s so huh. Since even though we come from the same school, during the time I was there, I knew nothing about you. If you were the kind of student who doesn’t stand out, there’s no way I’d have known about you huh.”

If it had been the Samejima from back then, someone like Tobio who would was neither beneficial nor harmful would have been the same as a stone on the side of the road. Had Tobio been strong at brawling, or perhaps been a target of yearning for female students, it seems that then word of him would have reached Samejima’s ear……but unfortunately, he didn’t happen to possess such attributes.

In contrast, in regards to Samejima who was famous for his delinquency, Tobio had heard quite enough about him.

Somehow, given that the two of them were training by bouncily skipping rope side by side, Tobio ended up feeling that destiny was quite an amusing thing.

In the midst of Tobio, Damian and Samejima’s rope skipping, the voices of girls were heard.

“……Zeh zeh, r-running like this……certainly, it’s good for dieting, this is. Apart from that though, are you sure you’re alright, Tomoe-san?”

“……Fuuh, somehow or another, I can sort of walk it.”

It was Natsume and Sae who were out of breath. The pair were dressed in sports gear. It seemed that Natsume had just finished the proscribed long distance running that Tobio, Damian and Samejima had been doing.

For Sae who was not endowed with a Ancient Gear like Tobio and the others, just the classroom portion was sufficient, however, with it being a good opportunity to build her own stamina, and having already been rehabilitated, she had chosen to undertake some light training. Though it was light, considering it was Sae after having gone through that incident, there was no mistaking that for her it was intense. She was dripping with perspiration even from walking the track.

As for Samejima who’d been injured in the same incident……he had run the long distance and was now even skipping rope with repeated light jumps as though he hadn’t been pierced through the chest.

“Being sturdy just isn’t my strong point.”

——She said nearly laughing.

With everyone having finished running, as they were moving to the next activity, they observed the figure of Baraqiel, who served as both the lecturer for Tobio and the others’ classroom as well as their training supervisor.

He checked over Tobio and the others with a hard-faced expression and nodded once.

“Hmm, so it appears you finished the long distance run. That still leaves half the regimen, however at the very least make sure to rehydrate yourselves.”

At first glance, the tall man gave off an intimidating atmosphere, however, contrary to his appearance, he was a rather considerate person. In regards to their special training, without tolerating compromise on anything, he would absolutely not give up until everyone had finished that which had been proscribed, but having measured the mental and physical limits of Tobio and the others, he ensured that the training was never beyond their limits.

Instead of urging Tobio and the others on with a loud voice, keeping in mind that they were complete amateurs, he would, while personally observing them, walk among them giving out advice.

Samejima would raise complaints about this, but even he would then quietly complete what was proscribed, seemingly not just because of the silent pressure that Baraqiel released, but also because he perceived from the atmosphere surrounding his body that he was someone of strong presence.

Like this Tobio and the others had completed the foundation of their special training, however, after working on their stamina and strength, they’d switch locations for sparring. From the running track, they moved to an expansive training room. The ceiling being very high, it was a place that had been made to be easy to fight in.

Invariably at that time——.

“Looks like it’s my turn.”

The one who appeared before Tobio and the others, a fearless smile on his face, was a silver and orange-haired young boy——Vali.

Indeed, Vali would be their sparring opponent at these times.

Like Tobio and the others, though it was not every weekday, Vali would also turn up at ‘Nephilim’. The Grigori had told that Vali to be the sparring opponent of Tobio and the others.

Vali himself seemed to personally enjoy this sparring——.

“……Fufuh, Ikuse Tobio, Damian Hoffman, Samejima Kouki, come now, and prepare yourselves. It seems this ‘‘ shall be your opponent today as well.”

Stiffening his small body with a bang, he stood facing the trio of Tobio, Damian and Samejima.

It would appear that, seemingly enjoying Tobio and Samejima’s beyond expected growth, that he had taken the initiative to take over as the sparring opponent of the pair.

Tobio, Damian and Samejima were accompanied by their respective partners——Jin, Esther and Byakusa.

Tobio, by positioning Jin in front of him, Damain with Esther by his side, and Samejima, by placing Byakusa on his shoulder, were each settling into their respective combat styles.

Standing by alongside the wall, Natsume and Sae were cheering.

“BOYS! Today you’ll surely beat Vah-kun!”

“Try not to get injured you four!”

Neither of these was at all easy for someone like Tobio. He’d like it if at least he could avoid injury, because although his opponent was younger, it was considerably unreasonably advice.

Tobio, Damian and Samejima, and then Vali, Baraqiel stood in the space between these two parties. After having verified that both sides were prepared for battle, he announced the start of the sparring match by saying “Begin!”

The first was to move was Samejima. The tail of Byakusa who had been placed on his shoulder was being altered, becoming longer. It wrapped itself like a coil around his arm and formed itself into a sharp, cone-shaped lance. At that point——electricity began to run through it while producing a sparkling sound.

At the time of the conflict with the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ the other day, Samejima unconsciously brought Byakusa to the next stage——a step closer to the its true Four Fiends form. In doing so, Byakusa accomplished a transformation into a white beast——a large animal at least three meters in size possessing the appearance of a saber-toothed tiger. It presently wasn’t in that form, but in regards to the sparkling phenomenon it had manifested when it had transformed into the large beast, it became capable of releasing it from its usual cat size, and Samejima was now producing it from the lance.

Both Tobio and Damian followed by taking some distance to avoid being hit by that electricity. A transformation had also come upon the Tobio+Jin combination. From the shadows at his feet, Jin would soundlessly create a single-edged sword, which he would then hold horizontally in his mouth. Jin, in place of the ability he had lost from when he was a puppy in which he’d grow blades from his body, he instead became capable of voluntarily growing blades from any and every shadow.

In other words, it seemed Jin became capable of growing blades by his own will. This was proof that Jin had come to possess a sense of self compared to when he was a puppy.

Subsequently, Tobio also manifested the growth in his ability.

“——Come out.”

Tobio, with such a murmur as he focused, was manifesting a specialized weapon from the shadow at his feet. A long shaft, having been grown from beneath his feet, was seized by Tobio who then pulled it out in one go.

That which he held in his hand, it was a curved blade with a shaft, a sickle. Drawing an elegant arc, it was a specialized weapon for reaping targets. It was not a sickle for reaping weeds, it was akin to the large sickles wielded by grim reapers.

His Ancient Gear ability having risen in the battle with the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, like Jin, Tobio had also gained the ability to produce blades from shadows at will.

During the battle with the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, Tobio had also personally experienced that, not just his partner Jin, he himself would have to be mobile during battle. If he were to run from place to place on the battlefield, giving Jin orders as he did so, he wouldn’t survive the battles from here on out. Tobio, as Jin’s master——the main body, would certainly be targeted by opponents.

If his master was in peril, it seemed that Jin would act to protect him, but there were apparently limits to that as well. If the opponent was stronger than Jin, it would all be over. For that reason, as the master it was necessary that Tobio himself be strong.

The same was necessary for Damian and Samejima who was linking up with their Ancient Gears. Carrying something like that out would be out of the question if the master wasn’t strong.

Tobio had selected a sickle as the weapon he would wield in battle. Prior to this he had tried wielding and swinging all sorts of various bladed specialized weapons……but the one that was most familiar in his hand was, unexpectedly, a sickle. At a glance, it appeared far and away harder to handle when compared to a sword, however, as soon as Tobio took it in his hand, he found himself skillfully spinning the sickle round and round, raising it overhead, pulling it hard, and then swinging it down. Though his comrades found his choosing of a sickle to be ominous (Vali found it favorable), Tobio instinctively said ‘This is it,” and settled upon it as his own specialized weapon.

Like this Tobio, faced with Vali as a sparring partner, prepared himself after spinning the sickle around several times.

The one who started first was Samejima. Nimbly rushing in, he drove the lance that was alive with sparks towards Vali. Vali, without showing any sign of evading, towards the blow of the nimbly approaching lance, with a *pashin* he altered the attack’s trajectory with a brush of his hand. Without letting a moment pass, Vali,aiming at Samejima, launched an ignited radiance——a mass of aura from his hand. Samejima somehow defended against that shot by using the lance as a shield, and the terrific shock of the mass of aura pushed the juvenile delinquent’s body backwards. However, Samejima wasn’t blown backwards.

Tobio and Damian incidentally had also begun to take action, and Jin and Esther were right behind them. Having changed into a black bullet, Jin approached Vali at high speeds that the eye couldn’t follow, and slashed at him with the blade in his mouth. Vali, from the front, towards the brandished blade——stopped it by gripping it with two fingers on his right hand. ——But, having become the size of a mature dog, Jin’s body weight naturally added to the attack, and Vali who was simply inferior in physical constitution had his posture forcibly destroyed. Vali, also sensing this, instantly let go and blew Jin back with a shock wave. Though he’d been blown back, Jin, magnificently righting himself in midair, had landed splendidly.

Tobio+Jin, Damian+Esther and Samejima+Byakusa, reorganizing their stances, prepared to once again advance upon Vali.

This was the present difference in the skill level of the four of them. Since the time they had met Tobio and the others had also been growing, and the end result of their practicing was that they were no longer completely helpless against the silver-haired boy.

Nevertheless, even now Tobio and the others could see no chance of victory. That was the extent of the boy’s strength. In these mock battles with Vali, which had been repeated more than ten times, until now his behavior had merely been to lightly parry every attack.

Tobio, Damian and Samejima were again launching attacks……but whether it was the scythe Tobio was swinging, the flaming sword Damian was slashing around or the lance unleashed by Samejima, even with Vali being completely cornered by their threat, and although Jin, Esther and Byakusa had displayed attacks of outstanding coordination with their masters, it required no serious effort on the part of the silver-haired boy.

Tobio swung the scythe downwards with the attacking posture of the style he’d somehow developed. Aiming at the collar, he slashed diagonally to slice through it——but Vali, leaving only an afterimage behind, simply evaded the swing from the sickle.

Simultaneous to the attack of his master Tobio slicing empty air, Jin had also leapt forward once again, launching an additional attack from having circled around to Vali’s blind spot. Vali easily evaded, but from the shadows at his feet blades of deformed shape quickly sprout forth. Jin’s eyes glowed red. The black dog had made those appear of his own volition.

Vali even managed to evade the blades from that shadow by jumping from that place. However, something white had entangled the said Vali’s foot.

The tail which was wrapped around his foot was even then circulating electricity, which was transmitted to Vali who had just landed. The boy’s body was violently assaulted by electricity with a sparkling sound……but Vali, perhaps due to accumulating the aura within his body, did not seem to be very affected. However, that the tail was wrapped around his foot was a certainty.

“A chink in the armor!”

Samejima, having closed the distance, tried to pierce Vali with the electricity-enveloped lance. It seemed he had surmised that there was no way to avoid it in this situation——but Vali revealed a pair of wings shining with light from his back.

——It was his Ancient Gear.

With the after effect of of the manifestation of the Ancient Gear, Byakusa’s tail that was wrapped around Vali’s foot was forcibly torn off.

Vali, having grown glowing wings, had flown up to the high ceiling. Looking down on them from up near the ceiling, he let out a sinister laugh.

“A chink? Fuh, for someone like me this has yet to even become something to be enthusiastic about.”

He rained down masses of aura at random from the ceiling! Tobio, Damian or Samejima, neither of whom could fly up there, could do nothing! The scythe had its blade broken with just one shot, all of Damian's flames dispersed, and Byakusa who was on Samejima’s shoulder also took a direct hit, which sent him flying backwards. Even Jin and Esther who were leaping about to the best of their ability wasn’t able to evade them. Receiving the masses of aura with their bodies, the impact assaulted them all over like struck with a blunt weapon.

Having confirmed that Tobio, Damian and Samejima’s specialized weapons had been separated from them, Baraqiel exhaled and raised his hand.

“That’s enough!”

With that one statement, the end of the mock battle was announced. In the end, without being up to even making Vali show the letter ‘s’ of serious this time either, Tobio, Damian and Samejima all ground their teeth in chagrin.

In response to the voice of Natsume, who had been cheering, saying, “That was miserable, young men!”, Tobio and Damian had no words. Samejima fired back “Shut it, Birdbrain!”…….

Nevertheless, this was the present difference in ability between Tobio and Vali. The difference between him and the younger one was still so wide to a harsh degree.

Part 2
“Owowow……”

Washing off his sweat in the shower room after the training, Tobio had been experiencing the pain remaining in his body. After that, there was one more battle, a mock fight with Vali……but invariably he had been defeated without landing a single damaging hit. His body had been bruised all over.

Having been defeated twice, which brought today’s intensive training to a close, he was taking a shower to wash his sweat off. Finishing his shower immediately, Damian and Samejima had left. He had also been bruised, but since he was fit to a superfluous extent, he had gone touring. Since driving his bike was his own peculiar way of changing the mood, whether that mood be good or bad, he had gone biking so as to pull himself together.

If one were to speak of Tobio, who hadn’t yet pulled himself together, while he was taking his shower he was sharpening his focus and was groping through his mind for a technique that would allow an attack to seize a skilled opponent.

Although he had selected a scythe as his specialized weapon, with it being of especially large size, both its usage and setup were exaggerated. In the case where Vali had been the opponent, whether he swung it down from above or swung it up from below, each and every action was grandiose. If the opponent was skilled, from his body’s posture they’d be able to see through his intentions as to how he’d next approach. If he were to thoroughly train his own body, it seemed possible that the speed of his offensive actions could be increased but……. For himself who had been an ordinary senior high school student until just recently, it was difficult to immediately obtain such a necessary tempering.

——As expected, the most vital thing to becoming powerful is through linking with Jin.

It was only natural, but the strongest method, as far as Tobio was concerned, was his ability, namely the black dog ‘Jin’ who was his ancient gear. Other than a fool, there was no one who wouldn’t make the maximum possible use of him.

……To increase the number of variations in his own attacks there was no choice other than with Jin.

From there Tobio again thought deeply about various ways to link with Jin. After more than sufficient time, he finally noticed he was taking a shower. Coming to his senses in surprise, he stopped the shower while shaking his head.

Since he dressed his lower half in the locker room, with his upper body naked, he sat down on the bench that had been provided. Even as he stroked Jin who was beside him, Tobio in his mind there was only reflection on today’s special training.

No matter how much he thought about it, presently, it was certain that the difference in power was insurmountable. Using such an ordinary answer was his way of settling his emotions for today as well.

……Thus, every day, I’m assuaging my frustration in not being victorious. ……Unexpectedly, that was quite cynically self-deprecating for someone like me who hates losing.

With him riding on his bike, it seemed to Tobio that Damian and Samejima were also seeking a change in the mood the same as himself.

For teenage boys, it was expected that being defeated by a junior was vexing.

“Toby, is it not bad to not rehydrate after a match?”

——Came a voice from beside him, as a water bottle was held out before him. Tobio spontaneously accepted it saying “Thank you,” and was spontaneously gulping it down…….

……Noticing a strange point, he turned his gaze to the side.

A blonde girl wearing a racing swimsuit——Lavinia had been sitting right there. Surprised by the sudden occurrence, Tobio immediately stood up.

“Lavinia-san! Why are you here!?”

This was the men’s shower room. For a woman like Lavinia to be here was itself a strange thing.

However, at Tobio’s words Lavinia inclined her head in confusion.

It may have been because she wasn’t wearing her usual pointed hat, but it seemed as though her hair was brightly glittering. Moreover both her hair and swimsuit were wet. It appeared she had been in the indoor pool.

She frequently made use of this institutions facilities. Occasionally she came to inspect their special training……but since he hadn’t seen her today, he had thought that she hadn’t come.

“Just Lavinia is fine, right?”

She replied with a misdirected answer. Moreover she also immediately stood up.

……Ending up looking at her racing swimsuit from a close angle, Tobio immediately shifted his gaze. ……For a healthy young man, the smooth fair skin of a caucasian girl——especially the area around her thighs——was much too radiant.

Tobio spoke while averting his eyes.

“N-No, that’s not the issue here! This is the men’s shower!”

Even being cautioned so, paying it no mind, Lavinia stood in front of a certain locker and——she wouldn’t be removing her swimsuit right! Was this the ladies changing room!? He was on the verge of panicking that he’d guessed wrongly, but he had used this place numerous times, and today specifically he’d entered together with Damian and Samejima. As expected, no matter how he thought about it this was the “men’s changing room”.

If that was the case, as far as misunderstandings were concerned, Lavinia was the one who was at fault…….

If he were to give her a sidelong glance——the appearance that had come to be there was that of Lavinia completely removing her swimsuit! Without being able to resist, Tobio immediately embraced Jin, gazing into Jin’s face to secure a safe place to look.

As for Jin himself, being suddenly embraced by his master, forced himself to stand on two legs, and fastened his eyes on the situation right in front of him. The black dog went “!?!?” in bewilderment.

With such a combination between Tobio and Jin occurring, Lavinia was unmindfully addressing them at her own pace.

“How was the mock battle with Vah-kun?”

“I-I was defeated.”

“That was something inevitable. Since Vah-kun met Governor-General Azazel, beginning with the Ancient Gear, he has been strengthening himself, and therefore, at this time he is naturally someone who Toby, Daemo and Shark, having only just awoken their powers, cannot hope to compete with.”

“T-That is the case. H-However, nonetheless, since I want to win, I’ve been deepening my connection with Jin; I want to to be strong.”

“That is the best. For certain, you are the owner of an independent avatar type.”

Promptly removing the remainder of his change of clothes from the locker, Tobio had appreciated that it was wise to give up on this situation……but as the conversation continued further, for some reason that couldn’t be understood it had occurred to him that it might be better to stay until the topic changed. The chaos brought about by Lavinia’s appearance was obvious.

Suddenly, a topic occurred to Tobio. Due to the term independent avatar type being brought up, he recalled that Lavinia also possessed that Ancient Gear.

“L-Lavinia-san, you also possess an independent avatar type Ancient Gear, correct.”

“Yes. I’m also like Toby and the others.”

Tobio’s recollection thought back on the tall atypical princess made of ice. From its whole body it had released a wave cold atmosphere that penetrated both the mind and body.

“……As for Vali’s Ancient Gear……”

“Yes, I believe you were taught about it in class, but different from me and Toby, for Vah-kun, his is the type of Ancient Gear that has an evil spirit sealed inside it. It manifests that evil spirit’s ability, it’s traits. The wings of light that appear from his back, you can think of them as equipment for the sake of manifesting the evil spirit’s power.”

There were a great variety of diverse Ancient Gears, and those had been grouped into several types, but he had heard in lecture that the number possessing traits which couldn’t be categorized wasn’t negligible. The Ancient Gear Vali possessed was different from the independent avatar types of Tobio and the others, belonging to the sealed evil spirit type. Regarding that sealed evil spirit, it’s written biography was that of a demonic beast of legend, a legendary dragon……. He’d heard that in Vali’s Ancient Gear was sealed one of the strongest dragons referred to as the ‘Two Heavenly Dragons’, the ‘‘. When they had learned that it wasn’t just Natsume and Samejima who had been astonished.

” “It’s not just in his head!?” “

Due to them being under the impression that it had been a second-year-of-junior-high-sickness delusion created by Vali, as soon as they learned that the dragon story was real their eyes popped out in astonishment (although, all the same they concluded that his title of Demigod Apollo was his second-year-of-junior-high-sickness in action).

Regarding said trait of Vali’s Ancient Gear, he had made use of it when Tobio had gone berserk during the battle with the chief engineer of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’——Himejima Hanezu, though Tobio himself had no recollection of that. However, during the mock battle, he had never made use of that trait. The manifestation of the wings of light had happened, but they hadn’t been utilized for the Ancient Gear’s inherent supernatural power. In other words, Tobio and the others, as far as Vali was concerned, were merely  opponents of that degree. Faced with that reality, Tobio had been feeling bitter.

As though she had seen through Tobio’s true feelings, Lavinia spoke.

“I said just before as well, but you shouldn’t feel discouraged Toby. It all begins from here on out. Toby and Vah-kun possess the same kind of Ancient Gear as myself, ones that are a bit special. If while here you learn to use it properly it should be possible to surprise Vah-kun.”

Indeed, in regards to the Ancient Gears Tobio, Lavinia, and Vali possessed, to be perfectly honest, he had received an explanation that there was a clear line between them and those possessed by Natsume, Damian and Samejima.

There were no more than nineteen current Ancient Gears that were incarnations that can even overthrow and reject God——that which was referred to as Longinus. A transcendental power that, if he chose to, was considered capable of slaying even a god, such a thing was lodged with him.

He suddenly peered into Jin’s eyes. The pupils were bright red like the color of blood. His own figure was reflected in Jin’s pupils……but deep beyond that, it seemed as though there was something deep there…….

Power capable of slaying even a god……. To him……it didn’t truly feel like that was the case…….

According to Natsume, when he had been going berserk, not just the outlook room, even the surrounding mountains had sprouted countless enormous blades. Moreover it had been entirely due to his power…….

An uncontrollable power within him, it made him feel useless. It was scary that a supernatural power that he himself wasn’t aware of could aimlessly expose his surroundings to peril.

Lavinia spoke.

“As someone endowed with the same independent avatar type, may I give you one piece of advice……. You need to achieve unification with the Ancient Gear beside you, which can also been seen as an offshoot of yourself——”

“Unification……”

“Linking and ordering, it is naturally obvious that these are ways of manipulating the Ancient Gear from above. However, the true way to manipulate the Ancient Gear that is your other self, that is to sympathize with it, resonate with it, not just in body, you must become one from the heart and soul. In the depths of the Sacred Gear, it is said that if and only if you can reach it, then you will be approaching the genuine truth of it.”

“……The depths of……the Ancient Gear……”

Jin’s pupils——. Was there something sleeping inside of them? Was she saying that this black dog possessed something within it?



——Your blade, it reaches even to that extent. However, your blade, it wounds everything——.

——Since you have already stopped being human.



——!!! Tobio body twitched as those words were resurrected in his mind.

……In that dream, there seemed to have been a voice from deep down, in the darkness. Could that darkness be the depths of Jin……or rather, was is something he carried, a darkness that exists within the power he possesses……?

Lavinia spoke.

“……I have been speaking self-importantly, but to tell you the truth, I also still cannot skillfully control my own puppet. In order to truly be proficient with the Ancient Gear, if I investigate the truth by aiming to integrate with it……I will come to understand the puppet. I should be the one controlling the puppet, that princess, but the truth is that princess is not some kind of marionette……. That is how it feels at least, and it is quite frightening……. Even though I have learned magic, my fear towards the power that has been lodged within me since I was born has not diminished in the slightest.”

Different from her usual tone, in the words Lavinia was currently speaking, he couldn’t help but to feel as though they also carried some sort of grief while bearing dread within them as well. Even though she had been facing an independent avatar type Sacred Gear for a long time when compared to himself, she still felt the same about it…….

“I want you to be careful as well, Toby. With the independent avatar types, even if you should investigate the power sleeping within it, the moment you approach the truth there is a possibility of being consumed by that power. Your other self is a part of yourself, another version of yourself. If you show an opening at any point, that other version of yourself can change places with you.”

Lavinia cautioned him in that manner.

Jin……could swap places with me……?

Tobio had locked eyes with Jin, but the black dog in question merely inclined his head.

……Jin, that  thing  I encountered in my dream before, was that him waiting for an opening to swap places with me……?

Tobio was newly aware that, for him to master Jin’s power, a suitable firmness of resolution was necessary.

And then, having heard the word ‘magic’ by chance, Tobio suddenly thought back to the old woman——the witch he had encountered at the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ hideout. At that time, Lavinia had glared at the opposing witch with cold eyes…….

Tobio proceeded to ask about that.

“……Lavinia-san, that witch that you saw at the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ hideout……is there some relation between you……?”

It was obvious that that old woman she had confronted——the witch who commanded that giant of purple flames, was a target of Lavinia’s hatred. As a fellow user of magic, could there be some kind of connection between them?

Roughly speaking, he had been informed that said witch was connected to ‘The Wizards of Oz’……. With a name like ‘The Wizards of Oz’ appearing from out of juvenile literature, Tobio and the others had been bewildered…….

After Tobio had asked, suspecting that Lavinia would not reply, he shifted his gaze away from Jin, giving her a fleeting sideways glance——

“That was an adversary.”

Lavinia’s face had drawn very close to him! Tobio was surprised by her abrupt appearance. And yet, Lavinia’s appearance……was one of just a towel hanging from her neck……. The twin white hills of her breasts, that which was below……he ended up seeing it all!!

Lavinia spoke while paying it no mind.

“I came here for the sake of stopping that witch……of stopping them.”

In spite of her current appearance, her facial expression was still her typical one…….

It happened at that moment.

“Are you there Tobio? I’ve brought you a bottle for rehydration but……. Is anyone there?”

A voice came from outside! It was Sae’s voice!! How could her timing be so bad! Being in this sort of situation, Tobio’s thoughts ground to a complete halt. He thought of how good it would be if he could hide in the shadows like Jin.

At the very least, to get through this situation he needed to go outside to receive the bottle. His upper body was presently nude but……for Sae, with whom he’d been together with since childhood, they had a relationship where she’d seen his upper body numerous times. There shouldn’t be a problem if it’s just to this extent.

Then, he would have Lavinia remain here, and at the same time he would hurriedly go up to receive the bottle.

“Is that Shaae? If it is about Toby, he is in here, okay?”

Of all things, that Lavinia had replied to Sae who was outside from in here! Moreover, she informed her that Tobio was in here! As usual, Lavinia had called Sae “Shaae”.

After that reply, a short silent period came, and then the door gently opened.

Sae timidly observed the state of affairs inside.

“……Tobio with……Lavinia-san……?”

As she said that, the image that appeared before Sae’s eyes was that of Tobio, who’s upper body was naked, a girl who was naked short of a towel hanging from her neck, and in addition to them there was a black dog accompanying.

Faced with these excessive circumstances, as Sae gazed at both Tobio and Lavinia in turn, her mouth absently hanging open, she fell completely silent.

“…………”

——Bad.

Bad bad bad bad bad bad bad!! Tobio, hurriedly coming up with an excuse, began to speak.

“U-Umm, this is……Sae, this isn’t what it looks like!”

Sae, putting on a forced smile, held out the drink bottle to Tobio. However, Sae then noticed the partially drunken bottle that had been placed on the bench next to Tobio.

“This is a bottle for rehydrating……or it would be, except it seems you’ve already been drinking one. Well then, I’ll hold onto this spare one. See you later——.”

As she had said, Sae tried to leave that place, but forgetting to open the door, she ended up crashing right into it.

“Ouch! …………I-I’m alright.”

While the tip of her nose was stinging, with a forced smile, Sae hurriedly opened the door with an “Eheheh”, and left.

………….

……Tobio, having reached his wit’s end over this situation, sat down, having nothing to say about the circumstances other than, “Ahh, now I’ve done it…….”

As for Lavinia——,

“?”

She just stood there like that with a question mark floating above her head.

Part 1
The following Saturday, on which Tobio and others also had a holiday from ‘Nephilim’, they had hurried from the apartment building and wandered into town. It was a trip taken by the whole crew together, consisting of Tobio, Sae, Natsume, Damian, Samejima, Lavinia, Vali, and Asriel.

Samejima and Vali did not seem the types to be interested going on outings together like this, and even Tobio had been feeling surprised.

While walking to the shopping district, Natsume was stretching as she complained of muscle pain.

“Owowowow, it had been my intention to put in some good exercise……however, as expected it does take its toll. That unsociable……Baraqiel-sensei is planning to beyond Spartan.”

Sae gave her a small smile.

“Just so. Although, I think he does properly care. There’s breaks after completing the regimen, and he always tells us to stay hydrated.”

As Sae had said, that hard-faced lecturer, while as strict on the surface as his appearance would suggest, he was also methodical and was never the kind of person you couldn’t converse with. He was as much a Spartan as Natsume had said but…….

Samejima also sharply cracked his neck.

“Well, it builds stamina that’s for sure. I even shocked myself when I realized I had the stamina to run ten kilometers.”

It was just as Samejima had said, but for he himself and Damian who had both originally had athletic ability, in his case the stamina building regimen had born fruit. Compared with before he’d gone to Nephilim it was clear that the circumference of his arms had increased, and even from above his clothes his pectoral and abdominal muscles stood out.

Tobio had also put on muscle but……. It couldn’t be said to be to the same degree as Samejima.

“What is it that we are doing today?”

Lavinia who had come along with them……was wearing her usual magical girl hat and robe despite being on a private outing. As they were walking together, the people coming and going on the street were giving them strange looks.

Natsume thrust her finger at Lavinia as she spoke.

“We’re starting with you, Lavinia! Clothes! For a young girl, that sort of appearance is beyond bad! Since the subject matter is of the highest grade, not being fashionable is entirely unacceptable! Tomoe-san is helping as well! Together we will coordinate for this girl!”

“Eh? Y-Yeah.”

Being overpowered by Natsume’s vigor, Sae consented.

As for Lavinia herself…….

“This is fine since I am a witch. This appearance is the best for boosting magical power, so when the time comes——“

“Ahh, geez! We’re going shopping you hear, shopping!”

Dismissing Lavinia’s objection, Natsume pointed towards the shopping district.

Vali let out a sigh as he spoke.

“Anything is fine, but what’s been on my mind since before is that I want to have lunch at a ramen shop. I think I’d like one with a hearty seafood soup.”

After Natsume gave a half-hearted “Yes yes,” to the mix-haired youth, she suddenly whispered in Tobio’s ear.

(Ikuse-kun, shouldn’t you make up with Tomoe-san?)

(Eh)

Tobio was surprised at the unexpected topic.

As Natsume said, while it may have appeared that there wasn’t anything unusual between Tobio and Sae in their normal day to day lives……and although for the sake of getting along with their fellow comrades in the long term they acted as though things were normal, it had become clear that they had found themselves feeling complex emotions towards one another.

Indeed, they were complex emotions brought forth from the locker room incident. Due to Tobio explaining things at the residence afterwards, the misunderstanding had been cleared up. Everyone was aware of Lavinia’s status as a natural airhead after all.

That being said, there was still a slight awkwardness between the two, or to put it better, it was hovering in the background. Natsume appeared to have sensed that.

Natsume was still whispering.

(Say, when those sorts of things happen, the best thing to do is to talk with the girl while accompanying her shopping. While I accompany Lavinia, you take to her while accompanying her with her shopping.)

(T-That’s all……?)

(That’s all. Rather than Damian, Asirel, the delinquent or the ramen brat, Tomoe-san is that priority.)

For Natsume this outing was a chance to reduce his awkwardness with Sae. ……For someone who would tease them it seemed quite unexpected, and Tobio who was seeing it was quite surprised at Natsume. Could this be what they call a maiden’s intuition?

Tobio immediately nodded once. Natsume also grinned broadly.

“Oi, Ramen Dragon. Don’t you also eat ramen at home?”

“Hmph, this is why you are beyond helping, Samejima Kouki. ——It’s a mistake to equate home-ramen with shop-ramen. For house-ramen there’s the sense of security in that it’s ready to eat, while for shop-ramen the quality because it’s eaten at a shop——“

“Isn’t just that you like eating children’s lunches, Radra-sensei?“

“While children’s lunches are also good for children’s lunches, as expected, the ramen from a shop……wait, don’t call me Radra.”

“Sure sure, Apolidra Apolidra.”

Samejima and Vali could be heard going back and forth behind them……but at any rate, while he would be paying attention to Sae today, Tobio wanted to enjoy this outing.

Part 2
As they went around the shops, the three girls (primarily Sae and Natsume) were happily squealing as they looked over the clothes as much as they liked. Since having entered a certain shop, it had become shopping time.

Now that he thought thought about it, this was Tobio’s first time accompanying Sae while clothes shopping. When he had been living an ordinary life, they’d only gone to purchase food ingredients from the supermarket.

To be buying clothes, that was something for which, unless you were lovers——.

“Alright then, clothes for Vah-kun as well!”

“I don’t really——“

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Aren’t you rather suited to girl’s clothes?”

“Male, I’m”

“It’s fine, it’s fine, just leave it to Onee-san.”

Not just Lavinia, Natsume was even dragging Vali along. Although he was a boy, she was picking out girl’s clothes.

The boys——Tobio, Damian and Samejima, were inside the store watching the girl’s shopping from a distance. Samejima, who had quickly finished his shopping——having bought mainly weight training equipment, was currently waiting for the girls to finish shopping.

Unexpectedly, Tobio felt that, for a delinquent, he was good at socializing. He’d thought that he’d head back immediately once he finished his shopping.

Incidentally, Jin, Gryphon, Esther, and Byakusa were on standby just outside the store. Since with that alone people passing by would become anxious (the combination of a large black dog and falcon was an atrocious one, and them being accompanied by a large, live raptor was worse), so as to conceal their presence, they’d diluted their existence. Since they weren’t people who excelled at supernatural powers, it seemed they couldn’t perceive Jin and the others.

Samejima suddenly made an inquiry.

“Ikuse.”

“What?”

“What a thing you’ve been doing with Tomoe this week, huh?”

“What a thing?”

To Tobio’s inquiry, Samejima made an obscene sign with his hand.

“It’s gotta be this right? That sort of relationship, right? Would it be unreasonable to say you’ve been living that sort of lifestyle every day?”

As soon as he understood his meaning, Tobio’s face became red. Tobio spoke in a fluster.

“N-No! Sae and I don’t have that kind of relationship! W-We’re not doing it!”

Indeed. It wasn’t the case that he was going steady with Sae. Even so, that sort of thing, it wasn’t unthinkable either.

Seeing Tobio’s reaction, Samejima smiled wryly as he inclined his head.

“Seriously? Although, since it’s that sort of relationship, I had actually been wondering whether you’d extricate yourself as frantically as that. Ah, I see. Well, since I’ve always been with you guys, it had been bothering me all the while ‘When are they doing those kind of things?’……but if it’s not that kind of relationship, it’s safe to it’s improbable that’s you’d both agree to do it.”

Samejima was nodding his head in agreement with himself.

……Somehow, Samejima had been concerned about whether he and Sae were going out, as well as when they were having male-female relations.

……However, both Natsume, Damian and Samejima had been concerned about him and Sae, and both were getting in contact over  that ……. Even Tobio could do nothing but blush when faced with such a difficult question.

Samejima spoke while directing his gaze at the girls.

“You think Tomoe's cute, don’t you? I do not recall noticing her when we were attending Ryoukou, but with us living together, I get the feeling that she’s a good girl.”

Samejima had said it.

It had seemed that way to Tobio who saw her in a favorable light, but nevertheless, Sae was cute to the point that Samejima said so. Or rather, she’d normally be classified as a beautiful girl.

However, rather than being gaudy, due to her light, refined atmosphere, she hadn’t stood out at Ryoukou. She also had a simple personality, and in fact he had heard that she was popular for a time among some of the boys, but he had never heard her being confessed to by anyone.

Wrongly guessing that Tobio, who was remembering his life at Ryoukou, was concerned about his words and actions, Samejima gave an explanation.

“Ah, I’m not aiming for her or anything, so don’t worry. I was simply voicing thoughts from my own perspective. For me……right now, girls are kind of……”

Samejima was speaking indistinctly. He was making a bitter face. Could it be that he’d had bad experiences with female relationships in the past……?

As Tobio was thinking that, Samejima changed the topic.

“By the way Ikuse. After each of the training periods and rounds with Vali, is there something you’ve been thinking about? Many times, even if I call out to you, you’re completely inattentive.”

“Ah……I suppose that’s right. I guess I have been.”

After the mock battles with Vali, he would always think back over the fight in his head, but…….

“The kind of guy who reflects after taking damage then? By some means, are you seeking a way to surpass Vali?”

“Sort of. Although there’s a difference in ability, it’s vexing that it’s an honestly impossible fight.”

With Tobio having said as much, Samejima let out a sigh.

“……Ah, were you serious about that?”

“Eh? S-Serious about that?”

They ought had been seriously training, so by no means was Samejima doubting that. At that point, he suddenly informed Tobio.

“Tell me honestly. Outside of when you went up against the Utsusemi Agency, are you ever, how should I put this, ambitious? To put it in simpler terms, perhaps it would be feeling animosity, or maybe murderous intent, or something, but except for when you faced off against those guys, you haven’t shown anything along those lines. It feels like, compared to right now, the you from when you were going up against those bastards was unthinkably more dazzling. I’ve thought thought that, ever since I saw you in that department store when we first met.”

“——!!”

Faced with those brief comments from Samejima, even Tobio was at a loss for words. Samejima continued paying him no mind.

“The you from that time, without mercy towards your opponent, would be like ‘I’m going to massacre you! I’m going to bury you!’ How should I put it, it’s that right? That feeling of wanting to save Toujou, it made you become that. However, can the same be said of the present you? We’ve leapt into the world of monsters, however the current you has Toujou close by. She’s the one you frantically saved. Therefore it seems that,  at present, your sole pretext for having been so frantic is lacking. Even if you’ve become strong, it’s fine if you can spend time with her from now on, right. Ikuse, during the mock battles with Vali, aren’t you carrying a half-baked version of the franticness you displayed at that time?”

………….

……Tobio had no words to respond to what Samejima had said. This was because he’d ended up feeling from the bottom of his heart that he’d been spot on. Certainly, for himself from that time, in order to retake Sae from them, he’d fought to the bitter end using his just awakened power to the maximum. He certainly had, in his franticness, been risking his life——.

At present……as Samejima had said, as result of result of Sae being at his side, as result of them spending time together, he had been facing training while having gained a sense of security. No, the sense of security was essential. Since if he remained in a state of nervousness indefinitely his nerves wouldn’t hold up.

However, supposing he were to face training with the franticness from back then——.

Seeing that Tobio had fallen deep into thought again, Samejima smiled bitterly. He slapped him on the back with an audible *bam*.

“Your tendency to ponder things is at the root of what I take issue with. Well, that’s all it is. Wouldn’t it be fine to fight your opponent with the feeling of protecting Toujou? Might you be the type who is amenable to fighting for the sake of protecting someone?”

With his feelings of wanting to protect Sae, he’d face the training with that desperation. For Tobio personally, it had be his intention to preapre himself by becoming stronger in order to protect himself, his comrades, and Sae from future threats, but in a way he was lacking the franticness he’d displayed during the battle with the Utsusemi Agency…….

……Tobio appeared to have newly discovered this as he thought back upon hs conversation with Samejima.

——Then, as Tobio, Damian and Samejima were having their talk between young men, they turned around having sensed a presence from behind. As for what was there when they did——.

“……Toby, Daemo, Shark, these are the clothes that Natsume and Shaae picked out.”

A blonde haired girl wearing a light blue one-piece dress——Lavinia was standing there.

Long straight blonde hair that seemed to gleam like silk, blue eyes that seemed transparent, long white arm and legs that were well-proportioned, and though the light blue one piece was simple, it had drawn out the distinctive characteristics of a young lady to the maximum.

Since she was wearing clothes that were so far apart from her usual pointed hat and robe that made up her magical girl cosplay, Tobio, Damian and Samejima were all captivated, their mouths hanging open vacantly.

Lavinia’s face was unusually red, and her arms and legs were fidgeting. Somehow, her appearance was a state of embarrassment.

“……This appearance, from a short while ago, has felt somewhat embarrassing.”

At this behavior and appearance that differed from the usual, even Tobio was reflexively touched emotionally.

Next to him, Samejima had been cheerfully touching his hand to his chin.

“Isn’t it fine? If you were to go out right now there’d be guys calling out to you.”

Certainly with to the magical girl look from shortly before, it did seem that there’d be many who’d call out to her due to her being a beautiful blonde haired girl. However, if it was this one piece dress appearance, that was another story altogether. It was reasonable that there’d likely be many who tried to seduce her if she walked around town looking like that.

Lavinia questioned Tobio.

“What about you, Toby? Does this appearance become me?”

“Yeah, I think it’s exceedingly cute.”

Hearing Tobio’s impression, Lavinia smiled even as she blushed.

To ask a man for that sort of impression……. Even Lavinia who was thought of as a strange child was a girl of that age it seemed.

As Lavinia was inquiring after the thoughts of the male group, Natsume and Sae made an appearance. Natsume spoke full of self-confidence.

“Well? Is it not the advent of the blonde-haired ultra-beautiful girl? Look look, revere her all of you guys. Offer her tribute. And then, pay your thanks to me.”

Faced with Natsume who had said this after puffing out her chest with an ‘ahem’, Samejima spoke with a half-opened eye.

“The magical girl was high quality material to start with. Didn’t you just strip those clothes off her and dress her in a one piece?”

“You don’t understand! This is why yankees are no good! After all, this one piece, the supreme article for illuminating Lavinia——“

As Natsume and Samejima slipped into their usual quarreling, Tobio and Sae could only sigh in exacerbation.

Next to them, Vali, who had put on a black leather jacket that did not fit his size, said, “If I could get just a bit taller already, I could dress myself in something like this,” as he seemed to made a decision about something.

Part 3
Having finished Lavinia’s coordinated outfit, for lunch everyone proceeded to a ramen shop that Vali wanted to eat at. The silver haired youth began lecturing about ramen, but as it was something everyone was familiar with, things flowed along smoothly……but the ramen itself tasted considerably good.

After lunch, socializing as they went to each shop, they each bought what they wanted. As for what Tobio purchased, it was primarily rare cooking utensils and food ingredients.

Along the way, the gazes of the men who came and went were directed at Lavinia who had changed into the one piece. However, it seemed that they couldn’t call out to her even though they wanted to. At any rate, there was a scary-faced onii-chan with dyed brown hair accompanying her after all.

At such times, Samejima’s presence was useful. In a case where the other party was a group yankee style young men, even Tobio and Damian likely wouldn’t be merciful towards those trying to hit on the girls.

……Be that as it may, since for Tobio and the others the independent avatar type were worthy of being extraordinary bodyguards, if the big black dog was visible then even the yankee boys wouldn’t come out when faced with such readily available decisive measures.

Having finished both lunch and their shopping, Tobio and the others went to a park that was downtown, and at the plaza there they ended up playing with Jin, Gryphon and Esther, which also served as an after-meal workout.

“Jin-chan! Go!”

Sae threw a frisbee she had just purchased when they were shopping, and Jin chased after it, catching the frisbee with a high jump.

“Yeah, you too Gryphon!”

This time Natsume tossed a number of balls into the air. Gryphon caught these with his talons.

Playing with Sae, Jin was exceedingly at ease. Rather than Tobio who was his master, Jin would lower his guard around Sae when compared to normal to the point that it gave the impression that he might be emotionally attached to Sae. This side of Jin could perhaps be due to him being an offshoot of Tobio himself. No, it seems to be a result of Sae originally possessing a personality that was good with animals.

At any rate, the white cat that was Samejima’s other self——Byakusa, was also brushing up against Sae’s feet, and Damian’s other self——Esther was chasing after. As for his master Samejima himself, he was lying down on one of the park benches taking a nap. It seemed that he was worn out from shopping.

Tobio was sitting on a bench next to the one Samejima was sleeping on, from which he was attentively watching Sae and the others.

Tobio’s gaze was directed at Sae. ……Tentatively, he had accompanied her while shopping, and they had talked almost the entire time……but was that sufficient? Had he accurately accomplished what Natsume had spoken of? Regarding the awkwardness that was born from their misunderstanding, it seemed to him that it had cleared up considerably as they were shopping. ……In the end it was just a feeling from Tobio’s perspective, but…….

Where a young man of his age was concerned, the true feelings of a girl of the same age was an unknown territory. From Tobio’s perspective, even if it was Sae who was his childhood friend, it was something he didn’t understand.

……While considering how things will be from now on for the both of them, would it be better for us to have conversed more?

……No, just what does  ‘how things will be from now on’  mean? Sae and I from now on……. No no, don’t take it in a strange direction. After all, after all! This is about Sae and myself who have found ourselves thrown into a unique situation. By no means is there anything to be ashamed of——.

…….

Having racked his brains to that extent, Tobio let out a deep breath and then decided on just one thing.

——After this, I should make time to find an opportunity to be with Sae, just the two us.

By declining to be accompanied by Minagawa Natsume, Samejime, and the others, that sort of thing could be thought of as a……date.

They themselves had been thrown into a livelihood that differed from ordinary people, however, for two people to spend time together——such a luxury should still be fine.

Tobio had decided as much in his head but——.

“Is it alright if I sit next to you?”

The one who had suddenly inquired in that manner was Lavinia. In her hand was a single small package.

His face was turning bright red since, having been thinking over various things, Tobio completely hadn’t Lavinia approaching.

“Ah, sure.”

Having pulled himself together, Tobio slid slightly from the center of the bench, at which point Lavinia sat next to him.

She opened the small package. From it, she handed over a cup of ice cream. She apparently had purchased it from a shop operating in the park. From the box’s size, it seemed she had bought some for everyone.

“Since I didn’t know what flavor Toby likes, I got vanilla.”

“That’s fine.”

In truth his favorite flavor of ice cream was chocolate, however he like vanilla just fine.

The cup of vanilla ice cream……tasted like strawberry. Lavinia spoke after he’d eaten a mouthful.

“Vah-kun is having trouble at the ice cream store. He couldn’t make up his mind about which one was good. And Asriel, who chose starberry, is still with him.”

It was easy to guess what was going through the mind of the silver and orange haired youth as he was puzzling over the flavors of ice cream while cocking his head at the storefront. For that youth who was indifferent towards the things he eats, he was unexpectedly finicky about it.

Perhaps due to having the figure of Lavinia, which was more dazzlingly brilliant even compared to normal, beside him, Tobio’s heart was beating furiously.

Somehow, he found it difficult to converse with her, and since the present atmosphere was troubling, he began speaking to Lavinia about before.

“In that locker room——“

But, having started talking about it, he immediately ended up thinking about that scene. As the image of her figure in state that she’d been born from that day, which had been seared into the back of his eyelids, floated through his thoughts, Tobio just became embarrassed, though Lavinia continued while paying him no mind.

“Toby, you wanted to know how I am related to that witch we met at the Utsusemi Agency’s hideout.”

“Ah, y-yeah.”

Indeed, at that time, he had asked her about that. Given the situation, the strange intensity of Lavinia at the time, and Sae’s circumstances, the conversation had been interrupted…….

Lavinia spoke.

To start with I will once again tell you the story of the people Asriel and I are pursuing. ……Between the human world and the world of fantasies there exists the Dimensional Gap, and in that there is a country called Oz. This country of magicians, compared to the magicians like myself who live in this world, utilizes distinct ideals and theories. And that is——“

“……The Wizards of Oz.”

Lavinia nodded at Tobio’s words. She continued to explain further.

“In this Oz, there are castles to the north, south, east, and west, all centered around the Emerald City where the magicians’ boss, Zoroaster, resides, and in those castles is where powerful witches are residing.”

“It was the same in the children’s story of ‘The Wizard of Oz’. The Witch of the East, the Witch of the North, and so on.”

Indeed, when he had been a child, Tobio had seen the same thing in TV puppet shows and picture books.

Lavinia spoke with a frightening expression.

“The witch we encountered at the Utsusemi Agency’s hideout, she was Oz’s Witch of the East.”

——!! ……That elderly woman, she was the Witch of the East from right out of the children’s novel……. From the conversation, the Witch of the East was certainly……should have been considered a wicked witch.

Lavinia smiled bitterly.

“To be precise, she is the ‘second generation’ Witch of the East. The Witch of the East——Augusta of the White Flame. That is the true identity of that elderly woman.”

The second generation……. In the children’s novel ‘The Wizard of Oz’, the Witch of the East should have been crushed to death as a result of Dorothy being transferred to the Land of Oz along with her house……. Given that, would that mean that the first generation was the one that was crushed to death?

Tobio had nothing but questions, but then Lavinia said this.

“In truth I am also connected to Oz.”

She spoke while staring at the sky.

“……The teacher who taught me magic, she was a witch dwelling in Oz——Glenda, the Witch of the South.”

——!

……Completely surprised, Tobio was at a loss for words.

Under normal circumstances, conversing about the events of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ as though they were true was unbelievable, and yet she, Lavinia, said she was the disciple of the Witch of the South who was a character in that story.

However, starting with the supernatural power dwelling with Tobio and the others, after seeing things like demons and fallen angels with their own eyes, perhaps this wasn’t such a strange thing. Still, nevertheless, since every time something happens they’d learn something new from fantasy, for Tobio who had been an ordinary high schooler until recently, each and every one of them was something he found bewildering.

——But, even Tobio had come to understand slightly.

Just why was she pursuing the witch from the world of Oz?

Lavinia hadn’t spoken all that deeply yet, but regarding her pursuit of the witches who collaborated with the Utsusemi Agency, it seemed that it was because she herself also had something to do with Oz.

Lavinia, opening her mouth, had been about to start weaving her next words——and that’s when it happened.

A pair of strange figures showed up in Tobio’s field of vision. Directing his gaze towards where Sae and the others were playing, there was a duo of strange looking boys there. One of them was a graceful faced boy of about the same age who was wearing glasses. He was wearing a blazer that was primarily blue in color. And the other had ruff-facial features and an muscular exterior. He was wearing an gray-colored coat, yet, there was something familiar about him.

The graceful faced youth was gazing at Jin, Esther and Byakusa with apparent great interest. With what could be described as a suddenness which didn’t give off a detectable presence, the blue youth had appeared near Sae and the others, while the muscular one stayed in place. Sae and Natsume themselves were being vigilant, having put some distance between themselves and him.

……He isn’t some kind of seducer. If he was a seducer, he would be gazing at Sae and Natsume. However, that boy has been focusing his eyes upon a black dog, a white-black raptor and a white cat. His attitude is certainly that of one who understands that those aren’t an ordinary dog, lizard(?) and cat pair…….

Beside him, Lavinia also had a stiff expression on her face. Tobio also stood up and moved to protect Sae and the others.

The boy addressed them.

“Heh, that’s quite a cute cat. Is this your cat?”

——The boy had questioned Sae. Since Byakusa had pressed up against Sae’s legs, it seemed he thought she was his owner.

“The hell are you? Tch, you’re no normal guy are you?”

The one who replied to the boy——was Samejima. Perhaps having sensed the atmosphere of suspicion, at some point, Samejima had woken up, and while shaking his head vigorously, was now walking towards them. There was a sharp look in his eyes.

The boy, paid no heed to the look the yankee was wearing, and on the contrary merely smiled.

“Oh, you were able to guess that much huh.”

After the youth had verified that Tobio and the others (with the exception of Vali and Asriel) had gathered in the plaza, he started with his and other man's introductions.

“Nice to meet you, Four Fiends, Friend-kun and Inugami-kun. I am Kushihashi, Kushihashi Seiryuu. And my friend here is Andreas Hoffman. Sound familiar?”

‘——!?’

At the boy’s introduction, Tobio, Natsume, Damian, and Samejima were astonished.

Kushihashi, Hoffman……if I recall correctly, they should have been one of the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families respectively. Furthermore, Hoffman was Damian's name. Could the two be related somehow?

On her guard, Natsume asked for confirmation.

“……Kushihashi and Hoffman? You’re part of the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families right?”

In response to Natsume’s inquiry, the boy——Kushihashi Seiryuu nodded.

“Yeah, I’m pretty much the next head of the Kushihashi clan, and my friends is the next head of the Hoffman family. Well, even if I say that it might not feel real to you guys.”

Suddenly, they’d met a pair of boys who were members of the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families, and moreover he called them the ‘next head of the families’. For it to be those same Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families that had exiled the Utsusemi Agency organization that Tobio and the others had just fought against a short while earlier, coming into contact with one from of clans that was their foundation was an unusual situation.

The first thing they had to confirm was——had they come to  this place  with hostile intentions or not.

As Natsume inquired after the opponent’s intentions, she also shot a glance at Gryphon who was flying in the air.

“……You’re not really friends are you? Well then, enemy is it?”

Faced with Natsume’s interrogation, Kushihashi Seiryuu spoke as though ridiculing her.

“An enemy——We could be one.”

Kushihasi Seiryuu was putting on an attitude that bordered on being lighthearted. Beside him, Samejima was becoming irritated. Given his personality, it’s possible that he was prejudiced towards someone of this type.

Samejima whistled, and in response Byakusa, who had been at Sae’s feet, instantly vanished on the spot. He had instantly leapt onto the shoulder of his master, Samejima.

Byakusa’s tail wound around his right arm, forming a lance. While imbuing it with electricity, pointed it towards Kushihashi Seiryuu.

Samejima spoke in simple terms.

“If you take any action I’ll act. Linking up after a meal feels just right.”

“Heh, that’s interesting.”

An indescribable pressure was released from Kushihashi Seiryuu’s entire body.

It was looking like an explosive situation, but Natsume got between the two of them and urged restraint.

“W-Wait! Are you……targeting us? For what reason?”

Finally speaking, the muscular man, Andreas Hoffman shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.

“——That Utsusemi Agency, you all were involved with them. Or rather, it’s unfortunate that you ended getting involved with them. Then, the end result was the collapse of that organization. Given that that is the case, it’s impossible for even the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families from whom they spawned to ignore it. That’s to say nothing of your cooperation with the Grigori. ……This is a serious crime for us. We are antagonistic towards them after all.”

……As expected, they’d made contact due to their involvement with the Ustusemi Agency. Since he’d heard that they were a group that purges incompetents (like those they’d been involved with) from the household, his explanation was very easy to understand. Furthermore, it appeared that they were not at all pleased by Tobio and the others associating with the Grigori.

However, even though he hadn’t said a single word yet, Tobio spoke.

“If it’s about those people who were exiled……I’ve heard all about it. Moreover, after the incident, you’ve taken action to purge those involved in the recent events.”

From the Grigori’s explanation, the remnants of the Utsusemi Agency were considered elimination targets by the Nine clans and families, and to that end agents had been dispatched to hunt down the survivors. The agents of the Nine were now continuing to pursue the escaped members of the Utsusemi Agency’s organization along with the agents of the witches.

And now, even Tobio and the others who had become involved involuntarily were being targeted——.

That was what was Tobio’s inquiry was alluding to.

Kushihashi Seiryuu replied while surmising the true meaning of Tobio’s inquiry.

“Unreasonable——isn’t it? Even I understand that it’s only to be expected. ——But, for turbulent elements, the truth is that it is precisely because they are plucked ahead of time that this country is here right now. ……Well, I also think it’s overbearing though.”

Kushihashi Seiryuu gave a cynical laugh.

And then, an unnaturally strong wind began to blow throughout the entire surrounding area. The source of this wind——was the boy, Kushihashi Seiryuu. With him at the center, wind was welling up with the sudden appearance of an unbearable heat produced by the musuclar man, Andreas Hoffman.

“——Wind? Heat?”

Natsume spoke while holding down her hair and skirt in the wind.

Lavinia replied while paying no mind to her skirt fluttering in the wind.

“Be advised. Kushihashi is the family governing the Phase of ‘Wood’ from the Five Phases, and ‘Wood’ can manipulate ‘Wind’ and ‘Lightning’. And the Hoffman family are well known for their exceptional flame magic.”

The bodies of Kushihashi Seiryuu and Andreas Hoffman had become enveloped in something like blue and red ‘essences’. These ‘essences’, oozing from their bodies, took forms behind him them——a monster with a long and thin body like that of a snake, giving the impression of an oriental dragon, and a large crimson beast with even larger wings, resembling that of an western dragon.

“Since we’re also following orders, I’d like you not to curse us when you die. Aah, please be rest assured. This entire area has been covered by a barrier. The clearing of bystanders has been completed. Therefore, it’s fine to rampage. Let me also use this for just a bit.”

Responding to this statement, Samejima prepared to fight.

“Heh, well said. Ain’t you cheerful, saying those kind of words.”

Andreas Hoffman carefully looked at the large black dog——Jin, who was positioned in front of Tobio, and at both Damian and Lavinia, who were beside him.

“Well then. ——So it’s come to fighting a high-tier Friend and a Longinus, and furthermore two types, has it then?”

Tobio and Damian had also sensed their fighting spirit with his own skin, and took on a fighting stance. That sense was also transmitted to Jin and Esther, and the black dog had produced a blade from his own shadow, which he held horizontally in his mouth, and the white raptor begin emitting great heat.

Tobio also prepared by producing a scythe from the shadow at his feet, and Damian by form an flame-sword. Sae was also behind Tobio. Tobio had assumed a posture for shielding her.

……I will protect Sae! I will absolutely keep her safe!

With this strong determination, he resolved himself to take on Kushihashi Seiryuu and Andreas Hoffman. Damian, Natsume, Samejima, and Lavinia were also prepared. Only Vali and Asriel weren't here……but it seemed the opponent wasn’t going to wait for him to make an appearance.

“……Light of protection.”

Unnoticed, Lavinia cast a spell by waving the wand that she held in her hand. The entirety of Tobio and the other’s bodies was covered in a pale green light. It seemed to be magic that raised defensive power.

The one who made the first move——was Samejima! As expected, the one for cutting through the vanguard was him. His lance overflowing with electrical sparks, he performed a full speed dash straight ahead. As he had during the Grigori’s training, contrary to when they’d fought against the Utsusemi Agency, he unhesitatingly moved quickly towards the distant opponent.

Kushihashi Seiryuu showed no indication of evading. Samejima’s thrust was thrown sharply towards him. Kushihashi Seiryuu, a smile touching the corners of his mouth, merely evaded Samejima’s sharp thrust with using evasive action that used the least amount of movement.

Without even hesitating, Samejima closed the distance as he struck with the lance. Byakusa, who was hanging onto his shoulder, was also sure to fire another long tail at Kushihashi Seiryuu like a whip.

However, those showed absolutely no sign of hitting the glasses boy. The evasive movements, which could only be described as superb, gave a similar impression to those of Vali. It would seem the opponent had considerable knowledge of classical martial arts.

“Go! JIN!”

“Esther!”

At that the black dog and white raptor, having heard their masters' orders, began charging forward at high speed like bullets, and drew close to Kushihashi Seiryuu and Andreas Hoffman. They unleashed with the blade Jin held in his mouth and a spew of flames from Esther. ——But both Kushihashi Seiryuu and Andreas Hoffman dodged even that. Paying it no mind, Jin made repeated sword attacks with the blade, and even generated numerous Night Hakens from the shadows at his opponent’s feet, while Esther shot numerous shots of fire and several slashes and bites at Andreas Hoffman……but even for these, both men merely jumped up high and moved side to side to avoid them.

In the midst of the evasive movements he was displaying, Kushihashi Seiryuu recited words of power as he made symbolic signs with his hands.

“‘By, form wind’!”

In an instant, a sudden squall sprang forth with himself at the center, which blew Samejima away. The aftereffects even reached the others, and everyone was only barely able to brace themselves to avoid getting blown away right there. With Lavinia’s protective magic, they were somehow able to pull through this.

——Then, Sae let out a scream of “KYAH!” as the squall threw her off balance and she ended up hitting the ground hard. For Sae who was still in the middle of rehab, even being covered with defensive magic, if she was hit by a squall of such a degree, it appeared that, while it probably wouldn’t cause any direct damage, it could destroy her posture.

“——SAE!”

Tobio was now preoccupied with the collapsed Sae. Natsume stepped up to support Sae.

Natsume spoke.

“Leave Tomoe-san to me! In any case, with this wind, my Gryphon……”

She looked up at the sky. Up there was the figure of Gryphon, who was doing all he could just to fight against the squall called up by Kushihashi Seiryuu. For Gryphon who flies in the air, an opponent who manipulates wind could be said to have poor affinity.

However, it wasn’t just Samejima and the Natsume+Gryphon combination.

Damian was suddenly performing many sharp slashes with his flaming sword at Kushihashi Seiryuu, but out of nowhere and without warning, Andreas Hoffman appeared behind him.

“‘’!”

What manifested together with the spirit of his words——was shining blue flames. Erratic blue flames were manifested with Andreas Hoffman and Damian in the epicenter.

The sword made of flames was forcibly consumed by those powerful blue flames. The force of it threw Damian off balance. Without mercy, the opponent threw the ball of fire that had formed in his hand at Damian.

It happened at that moment.

In Tobio’s mind, the words Samejima had just told him and Damian resurfaced——.

——Well, that’s all it is. Wouldn’t it be fine to fight your opponent with the feeling of protecting Tomoe?

—— Might you be the type who is amenable to fighting for the sake of protecting someone?

The next scene that he flashbacked to was……the Utusemi Agency’s hideout, the incident at the outlook room.

——Don’t cry……Tobio…….

——I……was happy……to see you again…….

It was the figure of Sae who had died once by being pierced through the chest by Jin.

Is that going to be repeated……? Am I going to let Sae die AGAIN……?

………….

……Don’t screw with me. DON’T SCREW WITH ME……! IN ORDER TO PROTECT SAE! IN ORDER TO FIGHT WITH EVERYONE!

——IN ORDER TO FIGHT AGAINST FATE, I DECIDED TO BECOME STRONG!

“……Like I’d let you. LIKE I’D EVER LET YOU!”

Tobio’s body——was being enveloped by a black haze. The black haze——the darkness that was being generated had completely encompassed his entire body. Throughout his surroundings, warped blades were created one after another.

Tobio, who had rushed forward at great speed at that very moment, by simply exceeding the speed that Kushihashi Seiryuu and Andreas Hoffman could perceive, seized the arm of Damian who had been hit by the flaming ball and thrust him away to the side. By doing this, the opponent’s attack was evaded.

And then, Tobio who had become Damian substitute for Andreas Hoffman's flames——merely warded it off. The flames from the opponent’s fist flew past the side of Tobio’s head, slicing through air.

Tobio, his whole body clad in a dark aura, slashed with the scythe in his hand. Andreas Hoffman instantly avoided it, but Tobio’s attack hadn’t finished as he unleashed high speed strikes.

The sharp slashes, which couldn’t be followed with one’s eyes, were being launched over and over again, producing trails of pitch black darkness as they went, until at last, discovering an opening by Andreas Hoffman, he sliced right into him!

Andreas Hoffman was unable to avoid that blow and was diagonally from his shoulder, but……. The figure of the bisected Andreas Hoffman collapsed, becoming large charred petals that scattered all over.

——Body substitution? Just before being hit, the other one, Kushihashi Seiryuu, made a shield of large petals around Andreas Hoffman and escaped?

Lavinia had said that Kushihashi was the clan governing ‘Wood’. ……It seemed that grass and flowers were the same thing.

When Tobio checked the area for indication, he found that both Andreas Hoffman and Kushihashi Seiryuu had escaped to a spot a short distance away. It seemed Andreas Hoffman had not avoided Tobio’s slash perfectly, as the clothes he was wearing were split diagonally from his shoulder to his flank.

He was displaying a daring smile in his direction……but there was blood streaming from near his mouth.

“……Just from those dark waves my whole body has become numb. I see now, so this is the dog that manipulates darkness huh……”

He swept his gaze over the entire surrounding area. Tobio also emulated him by sending a glance at his surroundings.

Wherever Tobio had gone, blades of distorted appearance had formed, and all of them were filled with a dark aura. Even the scythe clasped in his hand was carrying a dark aura, which was gradually but certainly getting darker.

Kushihashi Seiryuu and Andreas Hoffman, the latter wiping the blood from his mouth with his hand, again made a symbol with his hands.

“Without such splendidness it wouldn’t be interesting! Well then, I guess we should also bring it out!”

The blue and red ‘essences’ covering them swelled further still! It could be clearly realized that he was doing something tremendous.

“‘In the name of Jupiter, the spirit of wood, carriest the sun on the winds, bringeth it to the east’! ‘By Three-Blue and Four-Green, at my cry——“

It was just as Kushihashi Seiryuu was about to recite the whole of this verse——. In the space between Tobio’s group and the two men, a flash of lightning suddenly rained down like an enormous pillar. Even if it was a blue sky above, high output ‘lightning’ was falling.

At that, not just Tobio and company, but even the opponents Kushihashi Seiryuu and Andreas Hoffman stopped their hand signs and words of power.

“That’s far enough, next heads of the Kushihashi and Hoffman.”

He heard a familiar voice from behind. When he directed his gaze in that direction——he found that it was Baraqiel. Electricity was running along his hand with a crackling sound. ……That unbelievably large lightning strike just now, could that have been fired by Baraqiel? He couldn’t help but to compare its output to that of the lightning strikes fired by Kushihashi Seiryuu.

“So it was a battle with a next family heads from the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families that you brought me to, huh.”

Vali and Asriel were also standing next to Baraqiel. With these members it had become a full lineup.

As soon as he noticed Baraqiel, Vali and Asriel, Kushihashi Seiryuu made a bitter smile.

“……The fallen angel, Baraqiel-dono of ‘lightning’, the rumored Vanishing Dragon and the Crimson-eyed Demon huh. This is quite something.”

Kushihashi Seiryuu shrugged his shoulders, however his and Andreas Hoffman's fighting spirits didn’t abate. Even Baraqiel’s appearance didn’t disrupt his battle posture. ——But, then that voice called out from behind him. Simultaneously, sparks of vermilion fire danced around the entirety of the plaza.

“——Seiryuu, Andreas stop this.”

Hearing that voice, Kushihashi Seiryuu and Andreas Hoffman were astonished, and the fighting spirit——the ‘essences’ that was enveloping their bodies, was erased.

This time it was a voice Tobio wasn’t familiar with.

From behind Kushihashi Seiryuu and Andreas Hoffman, a single figure approached while clad in an aura of seething vermilion flame.

It was a girl wearing a blazer whose basic tone was red——no, vermillion. For her age, she seemed to about the same age as Tobio and the others.

She was a beautiful looking girl with glossy black hair worn in a ponytail.

……For Tobio, with just one glance at this girl, he had a mysterious feeling. Looking at the girl’s face, it was as though it was familiar from somewhere. It was strange. It was impossible. Even though the age difference between the person he was reminded of and the girl in front of his was was massive…….

Kushihashi Seiryuu spoke to the girl while exhaling.

“……I hadn’t heard that you would be coming. ——Suzaku.”

“It is something you weren’t informed about.”

The girl who had been referred to as Suzaku laughed slightly. And then, she turned her gaze it his direction——towards Tobio.

——Then, she bowed to Baraqiel.

“It has been a long time has it not. ——Barakiel  oji-sama .”

At the appearance of the girl——Suzaku, Baraqiel’s expression became extremely complex.

“……Suzaku huh.”

“Yes, it has been a while since that occasion when we met.”

Suzaku replied in this manner while displaying a smile.

“……You’ve gotten so big.”

“For Oji-sama to have come together with  Tobio  and the Four Fiends and Friend……could this also be fate?”

“……I’m merely teaching them the art of fighting.”

The two of them appeared to be acquainted somehow……but from their reactions it could also be presumed that they had some complex circumstances.

Leaving that aside, Tobio, who ended up becoming even more uneasy, was unable to hide his confusion. It was as though the girl, Suzaku, knew him. Moreover, she had suddenly referred to him intimately as ‘Tobio’.

Tobio couldn’t help but feel doubtful, but the girl in question closed the distance and stood right in front of him.

She was entirely unafraid of the scythe he was holding, or of Tobio who was clad in darkness.

Above all, with a simple expression on her face, she took Tobio’s hand.

“Ikuse Tobio. I’m Suzaku. Himejima Suzaku. ——You’re ‘second cousin’. Nice to meet you, Tobio.”

——!!

………….

……At that information, Tobio couldn’t help but to feel astonished. Faced with something so excessive, he couldn’t find any words.

……This girl is a Himejima. Moreover, my ‘second cousin’. ……She’s a blood relative.

The girl’s hand which was clasping his hand——was warm, and reminded him of his beloved grandmother.

Aah, I see. The reason why I thought of my grandmother the moment I laid eyes on this girl……this is the reason.

Suzaku, while showing a smile, looked over Tobio and the others.

“Just for a bit, there’s something I would speak with you about. With regard to the remaining Four Fiends and Friends, I would like to have a discussion. ——Would you be so kind as to accompany me?”

Tobio and company exchanged a look with Baraqiel. Everyone awaited the decision of Baraqiel who had been appointed to supervise them.

Baraqiel replied, “……Understood,” and they journeyed to the location Suzaku had prepared.

Part 1
Tobio and the others, being lead by Himejima Suzaku, Andreas Hoffman and Kushihashi Seiryuu, left the shopping district and eventually arrived in an office locale——at an enormous building that towered over the area.

Typical for one of the companies connected to them, they had traveled by the so-called limousine service, which was greatly surprising to Tobio and the others, who had been vigilant, but since Baraqiel who was escorting them brazenly boarded it without apprehension, they had also followed suit.

A garden had been established on the roof of the building. There was a penthouse there. It was inside of this to which Tobio and the others were admitted.

As for the inside the rooftop-built penthouse, it was heavily Japanese-style, as even the room to which Tobio and the others were escorted was a Japanese-style room with tatami mats.

In this Japanese-style room, Tobio and the others were seated along with Himejima Suzaku, Andreas Hoffman and Kushihashi Seiryuu, as though in a meeting. Completely without disrupting her posture, the manner in which Himejima Suzaku so meticulously sat down made it clear that the training she has received on social norms was quite high end.

It was Suzaku who started by making the first statement.

“To begin with there is something of which I must speak. The earlier matter involving the Utsusemi Agency, their recklessness is the blunder of the five families. For having gotten you all involved in that, I wish to formally apologize.”

Suzaku bowed her head. ……Andreas Hoffman and Kushihashi Seiryuu who were holding position behind her had also bowed their heads, but, in some respects, Kushihashi Seiryuu's expression was curt.

As someone who had been assaulting us a short while earlier, his attitude is…….

Samejima, who was seated next to Tobio, was also feeling anger with a bulging vein towards Kushihashi Seiryuu’s expression, but since Baraqiel had ordered him ahead of time to show restraint, he clenched his fist in order to bear with it.

In relation to the incident involving the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, originally it occurred as a result of the circumstances of those nine families. Moreover, Tobio and the others, who had gotten wrapped up in it, had reason to complain, or rather, it would be excusable from them to rave while grasping the other person by the collar……but even if they did so it would only serve to further complicate the relationship.

Suzaku spoke while looking at Baraqiel.

“Like the Grigori, our sides are individually pursuing the remnants of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, as well as that group of magicians who are cooperating with them——‘Oz’. We have confirmed that while they are evading our pursuit, there is  something  that they are pursuing.”

Baraqiel spoke up.

“……The remaining ‘Four Fiends’, and as many ‘Friends’ as they can acquire, is it?”

Suzaku calmly nodded in response to the word of the fallen angel Cadre.

“Yes, we’ve heard that three former Ryoukou High Schoolers had taken refuge in the mountains near a certain prefectural border, where the remnants and the people from Oz are in the process of tracking them down. Based on the information of our own spies who have been deployed on site, it’s been verified that there’s already been skirmishes between them.”

“”””——!?””””

At Suzaku’s words, Baraqiel with Tobio, Sae, Natsume, Damian, and Samejima, who were themselves former students of Ryoukou High School.

The remnants of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, together with the magicians of ‘Oz’ who were cooperating with them, were in motion, and they were pursuing the three who were the remaining ‘Four Fiends’ and one of the ‘Friends’. The remaining ‘Four Fiends and Friends’——in other words they were also former Ryoukou High School students, and therefore were classmates who had gotten caught up in that incident.

“Contact with those spies almost ceased a few days ago. Most likely……”

Suzaku, her eyes serious, made an inquiry of Baraqiel.

“I have heard that within the Grigori there was a fiendish force. A force organized from people in possession of rare and ferocious Ancient gears…… They are the ones known as the ‘Astra Team’ are they not?”

——Nephilim Abyss, Astra Team.

For Tobio, this was his first time hearing these terms. For that matter, Sae, Natsume, Damian, and Samejima, who were likewise former Ryoukou High School students, had expressions that were just as bewildered as his.

……But, given that Lavinia, Asriel and Vali accepted those words calmly, it would seem that they have known about it.

Natsume spoke to Baraqiel.

“……Baraqiel-sensei, is this your first time hearing of this?”

Baraqiel let out a single breath before answering.

“……It was something Azazel told me to discuss with you once I observed the timing to be appropriate. My apologies. As she said, the Cadre who betrayed us——Kokabiel, when he left the Grigori he took  a certain force  with him. ——Nephilim Abyss, also known as the Astra Team. They……are students of Kokabiel, and on top of that, they consist of the owners of fiendish Ancient gears. For the human world they’re nothing but dangerous abilities with the potential to have a negative influence. For that reason, they had been placed under the protection of us Grigori.”

This was information they were hearing for the first time.

Kokabiel, who betrayed the Grigori, took one of their Ancient gear force with him……. As students, similar to us——the pupils of ‘Barakiel Class’, could they perhaps have been……’Kokabiel Class’, or something similar?

Tobio and Damian, who could also be considered fiendish possessors, couldn’t help but to feel uneasy about this.

Suzaku inquired of Baraqiel.

“By all rights, I have heard that the disposal of ability users is a matter of course. Why then was this not done? From ancient times, records of the Grigori doing this have been passed down and yet……”

When is came to Ancient gears that could not be controlled, he had heard that the Grigori, from time immemorial, had dealt with them severely, but…….

Baraqiel put on a troubled expression and didn’t say anything at all in answer.

“……The only reply I can give is that we are also not monolithic.”

Even for  who had been living for an unimaginable length of time——no, precisely because they’d been living since eternity, it seemed that the respective leaders had each embraced their own respective motives. Therefore, even a traitor came to exist.

Hearing Baraqiel's statement, Kushihashi Seiryuu put on a cynical smile.

“That’s quite a convenient statement.”

“Seiryuu.”

Suzaku uttered a rebuke.

“Alright, alright.”

Seiryuu shrugged his shoulders.

Returning to the topic of conversation, Suzaku continued.

“In regards to those contacted by the Agency remnants and the magicians, they are a boy and a pair of girls possessing the remaining Four Fiends and a Friend,,  and a. I imagine that you also know of the individuals involved——“

In response to Suzaku’s statement, Baraqiel,

“Nanadaru Shigune, Shiranui Lily and Koga Hyousuke——correct?”

followed up with that. Nanadaru Shigune, Shiranui Lily, Koga Hyousuke. Those were the remaining Four Fiends and Friends. They were students of Ryoukou, classmates, who hadn’t been rescued yet. Tobio and the others had also been informed of who the remaining Four Fiends were.

The names of these three had been known to Tobio and the others even when they had been attending the same school. Two of them had been famous students.

For the former, Nanadaru, she was the leading beautiful girl at the school for whom, among the male students, the number who declared “She is absolutely the cutest in all of Ryoukou,” was not insignificant.

And then for the latter, there was Koga——.

“……Koga huh. That’ll certainly be troublesome.”

The one who spoke after exhaling as though sighing was Samejima. Even for Samejima the delinquent, his expression was just that bitter.

As for Tobio’s image of Koga, fundamentally it was on the Samejima side of things……but by laying claim to the top class grades within their year, he was a male student possessing duel natures.

He had heard that Samejima himself never hung out with him. Surely it was possible that he——Koga Hyousuke had always been alone.

According to Samejima, “Since I was careful not to make an enemy out of him, we didn’t really encounter one another,” was all that he said.

“Koga-kun, due to having brains despite being something of a delinquent, was popular among the girls.”

Natsume had reminisced in this manner.

Suzaku changed over to the main issue as though throwing a switch.

“Well then, I would like to take this moment to convey my true intentions for organizing all of this at the present place and time.”

After a beat, she stated the following.

“——Shall we not form a temporary united front?”

Tobio and the others were shocked at this sudden proposal from someone from the Himejima, but Baraqiel, Vali, Lavinia, and Asriel gave no particular reaction.

Suzaku continued.

“We will be putting forward our best efforts, the object being the capture of the Agency remnants. At present, in regards to the Four Fiends and Friends and the Wizards of Oz that participated with them, should they become hostile towards us we shall take the position of dealing with them.”

Baraqiel inquired.

“In other words, in regards to the Four Fiends and Friends——the Ryoukou students, you’d be fine entrusting them to us?”

When Suzaku nodded, Baraqiel's expression became one of doubt.

“……Suzaku, is this your own judgement? With that family head, something like this……it seems unlikely that they would permit an alliance with an organization of fallen angels. No, even if the family head were to forgive you, the chief executives would not remain silent.”

Suzaku just gave a sweet smile in response to Baraqiel’s query.

“You could say that we are also not monolithic. The current matter has been entrusted to me. Despite my appearance I did inherit ‘Suzaku’. Besides, to be perfectly honest, the truth is that we have little information about the Astra Team and Kokabiel, and the same goes for Oz. One of the conditions that is part the implications of the united front I’ve been proposing is that it also be a win-win for all parties.”

“There is much information that cannot be disclosed……but with the Astra Team and Kokabiel being a issue we share in common, we’ll hand over as much as we can. ……With this, it should be in your  favor .”

At Baraqiel's words, Suzaku let out a sigh of relief.

“It is a great comfort to me that negotiations have gone well, Oji-sama.”

From behind Suzaku, Kushihashi Seiryuu did say in a low whisper, “I was opposed this however,” with half-closed eyes, but…….

Baraqiel inquired of Tobio and the others.

“The gain of a temporary cooperative relationship with her and her associates is in regards to protecting the two Four Fiends and that Friend. There does appear to be a point of consideration towards them in consideration of the incident a while back as well as the clash a short while ago but……to start with, the important thing should be to rescue the Four Fiends and Friends——your classmates. There’s no problem with that, is there?”

Tobio already understood that Himejima Suzaku, Andreas Hoffman and Kushihashi Seiryuu, given that they governed the fantastical beasts they were named for, as people belonging to the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families, they were central figures.

From within the Five Principal Clans, who he had come to know as people who would excessively purge any failures their family produced, her side who were central figures were proposing a “united front”.

Tobio and the others had (forcibly) been involved with the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, who were viewed by her side as traitors to the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families. For the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families, they were . For them, this was not at all what they’d come to expect.

And yet in spite of this, Himejima Suzaku was offering to remove the target from Tobio and the others, have her side deal with the Agency remnants, and entrust the remaining Four Fiends and Friends to Tobio and the others.

The Agency remnants, Oz, Phobetor, Kokabiel and the Astra Team, for them to rescue their classmates while dealing with these mixed organizations, and while also being on guard for an encounter with the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families, even with the cooperation of the Grigori, these were extremely harsh conditions.

The idea that they wouldn’t be going up against the Five Principal clans and Four Watcher families in the midst of all that would be the most desirable of outcomes, and moreover her side was going to take responsibility for one of the cooperating organizations.

On the matter of rescuing the remaining Four Fiends and Friends, there won’t be a better opportunity than this——.

Given that our teacher Baraqiel, who’s also a Cadre of the Grigori, is acquainted with Himejima Suzaku, there’s a certain degree of reliability to it all.

When it comes to the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families, whether it’s us getting wrapped up in the original event, or whether it’s the attack just recently, these are points to consider but……

As far as Tobio was concerned, should he rely on her, on Himejima Suzaka, at least on this occasion? ——This was what he was considering. That is, being clad in the same ambience as his grandmother——something like an aura, as a consequence she did have a strong face, however…….

The first to answer was Minagawa Natsume.

“I……think it’s fine. In all honesty, there is a lot that I’d like to say to those guys, however our goal of rescuing all of our classmates comes first.”

Samejima snorted, and then spoke while sending a glare towards Kushihashi Seiryuu.

“Even though I’d like to give that smug fellow over there a good wallop, well, if we’ve settled upon this united front I’ll go along with it. Nothing would come of me throwing a tantrum over it by myself anyways. Well, in any event, if someone should attack us, it should be fine if I just knock them down.”

That truly was befitting his way of thinking.

To this, the unusual Vali also expressed the same opinion.

“It’s as Samejima Kouki said. Whoever it may be, if they oppose us we it’s fine to defeat them. It’s truly quite simple.”

Lavinia and Damian placed their trust in the judgement of Tobio and the others saying, “I shall leave it up to to you to decide.”

Tobio exchanged a glance with Sae, and they each nodded.

“Sae and I also have no problem with it. If we’re all fine with it, shall we get things moving?”

This was Tobio’s response.

Indeed, it was as Samejima and Vali had said. If someone were to attack them, whether it was Agency remnants, Oz, the Five Principal Clans, or the Four Watcher Families, they’d just have to fight.

Having attained the consent of Tobio and the others, Suzaku, having confirmed this, produced a single memo from her jacket pocket.

She spoke as she passed this memo to Baraqiel.

“This is the location where the Ryoukou students who are remaining Four Fiends and Friends were confirmed to be——their whereabouts. It would be a good idea to leave promptly. Whether due to them escaping or to them being captured, the more time that elapses the more likely they will depart from there. We are also planning to head there before the day is up.”

Kushihashi Seiryuu followed up on Suzaku’s words with a hint of cynicism.

“Well, if we should run across them first, we could protect them for the time being. I hope you won’t hate us if we’re not in time though.”

It would appear that cracking jokes was part of the personality of the boy named Kushihashi Seiryuu. Nonetheless, with the aura enveloping his body being genuine, it was certain that his level of ability was several levels above Tobio and the others.

Afterwards, following several rounds of exchanges between Baraqiel and Suzaku, the conference reached a conclusion peacefully and uneventfully.

Everyone stood up, and just as they were all about to, it happened. Suzaku abruptly called out to Lavinia.

“Lavinia Reni-san.”

“Yes.”

When Lavinia responded, Suzaku posed a question.

“‘Augusta of the White Flame’——you are familiar with that name, correct?”

The moment that name came up——it felt as though the temperature of the room dropped slightly. No, it reality it actually did.

It wasn’t clear whether it was consciously or subconsciously, but Lavinia was giving off an icy atmosphere.

“Yes. She is one of the magicians I am pursuing. She is ‘Witch of the East’ Augusta.”

Having said as much, Lavinia was releasing pressure from her entire body. Regarding the name that Suzaku had spoken, it had been sufficient to disturb Lavinia's emotions.

Tobio recalled the matter she had informed him of in the park earlier.

Lavinia was the disciple of the ‘Witch of the South’ Glenda from ‘Oz’——. And also, Lavinia was pursuing the ‘Witch of the East’ from ‘Oz’——the elderly woman magician who she had encountered in that facility of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’.

Suzaku continued.

“In regards to the matter of Oz, I just recalled that I had been informed that you are the disciple of Glenda who was the ‘Witch of the South’. ——The ‘West’ is also coming here. Although both the ‘East’ and the ‘West’ are troublesome, I wonder, could the ‘North’ be coming as well?”

“Perhaps, though I believe they have not yet come from their country.”

“Well then, the position of the king of ‘Emerald City’——of ‘Oz’ towards the present situation is……?”

Lavinia lowered her eyes in response to Suzaku’s inquiry.

“……I do not know. I have received absolutely nothing about the situation over there.”

In response to Lavinia, whose voice sounded forced, Suzaku merely replied, “Thank you. That is sufficient.”

Raising her index finger, Suzaku gave Lavinia a piece of advice.

“Just one piece of advice. You shouldn’t associate too closely with the Grigori. Even at the best of times, they are a target of  observation  due to the power they have obtained. I have heard rumors that the Vatican and locale Heroes has ordered the assassination of the Grigori operating in this country. If you should happen to come across an exorcist who’s enthusiastic about his job, it’s possible they may hunt you if given the opportunity.”

“……My thanks. I will be careful to avoid being subjected to a ‘witch hunt’.”

When it came to the conversation between Suzaku and Lavinia, for Tobio and the others——those who were former Ryoukou students, there was much that they frankly did not understand.

The matters related to Oz, the relationship between Oz and Lavinia, and then the Vatican——the Church of Christ? And Heroes? Like, real Heroes?

It appeared there was still a lot for them to learn. Moreover, if they weren’t appraised of these dangerous circumstances it would become a disadvantage for them.

In order to live, in order to survive, they would have to learn more about the world of the supernatural——.

As they were exiting, Baraqiel spoke to Suzaku without glancing back.

“Suzaku, I believe that you haven’t changed.”

Suzaku replied while smiling.

“……Baraqiel Oji-sama, not one thing has changed since that time. Not one thing about the Himejima Suzaku who played with Oba-sama, Akeno, and Guren-niichan. ——However, in regard to the Himejima……the present heads of the Five Principle Clans and Four Watcher Families, be be cautious of them. Of course, the same for the exorcists and heroes——“

“Aah, naturally.”

After Baraqiel exited, just as Tobio and the others were about to exit as well,

“Tobio.”

Suzaku’s voice called out to him.

With even more gentle facial expressions, Suzaku spoke to Tobio with an expression like one speaking to their family.

“Thank you for placing your trust in me. Let us speak openly now. When things calm down, I will have a proper banquet.”

For some reason Tobio blushed in response to those words.

“……S-Sure, yes……”

——At that moment that was the best reply he could come up with.

His two female companions——Natsume and Sae immediately noticed Tobio’s reaction. Natsume let out a breath of amazement, and Sae——was slightly disappointed.

They decided to return to their temporary stronghold that same day.

……The date with Sae where it would be just the two of them, it ended up having to wait until next time.

Part 2
Tobio and the others, after having returned to the apartment building, immediately started to quickly pack. Naturally, they were acting in response the information Himejima Suzaku had brought——to get in contact with their remaining classmates from Ryoukou.

However, their location was a great distance from this place, so they had a lot of territory to cover. For transport——it was necessary to go by car.

“I’m going to wait in the parking lot.”

The one who said that after having completed his preparations for the trip, it was Baraqiel who was also the teacher of Tobio and company.

In response, they followed the strong organization Cadre, who was unaffected by events, as soon as they were able.

……As for the car’s driver, they’d thought it would have been left to a lower ranking individual from the organization……. Whether due to his own kindness, or else for the sake of some other purpose, or perhaps both——.

Tobio and the others had put together simple luggage. Together with the self-defence goods that had been provided by the Grigori, there was also emergency rations.

As for the information that had been brought by Himejima Suzaku——the location on the map, it was a mountain village quite a ways distant from the city. From this apartment complex, it was at a distance that would take a few hours even at the car’s highest speed.

With Tobio and the others having finished their preparations, they headed to the parking lot where Baraqiel was waiting. As for the members who would be going to the objective location, in addition to the former Ryoukou students Tobio, Natsume, Damian, and Samejima, Lavinia, Asriel and Vali would accompany them.

For these members  to be assigned to an incident, it was the first time. Compared to Tobio and the others, the former Ryoukou students, Lavinia, Asriel and Vali were capable of demonstrating their abilities. Moreover, they were the owners of special Ancient Gears. Nonetheless, due to Tobio and the others also practicing, their abilities had been growing.

Baraqiel was standing in the parking lot——in front of an eight passenger blue station wagon.

Baraqiel advised Tobio and the others who had gathered in the parking lot.

“Before we proceed from here, there appear to be extremely dangerous users lying in wait for us. Especially Ikuse Tobio, the two Four Fiends and the Friend. ……Lavinia, Asriel and Vali have their own obligations, but you have a choice. What shall it be?”

Just Baraqiel was giving this warning, without waiting for their reply, he added on to it.

“——That is, I’m not saying that you should withdraw. In a certain sense, my training that I’ve been putting you through was just in case of such a situation.”

Natsume gave a complacent smile in response to Baraqiel's statement.

“That’s right, Sensei-dono. We, since getting wrapped up in that situation, have been holding back various feelings after all. ……That said, I used ‘we’ on my own accord, but is that OK with you, Ikuse-kun, Samejima-kun?”

Samejima loudly cracked his neck as he spoke.

“Well, on top of suffering through bullshit like that, after being trained like a common athlete, I’m not going to just give up now. Last time I was a weakling at the final moments, this time let’s succeed in going all out.”

At last their gazes gathered on Tobio for confirmation.

Tobio spoke while stroking the head of his partner——the black Jin who was beside him.

“There are a few classmates who we haven’t rescued. After having come this far, I want to save all of them. If we can bring an end to this now, then there is nothing I’d prefer to be doing.”

These were Tobio’s true feelings.

To put it in stark reality, they had already boarded the ship. Whatever the outcome would be, he wanted to see it through to the end, to exert even the very last of his power to welcome a pleasant conclusion.

Upon hearing the words of Tobio and the others, Baraqiel let out a sigh.

At this point, if even one person were to shout NO, they would be able to remain at the apartment complex. However, for Tobio and the others who were here, they all had chosen “go”.

Baraqiel nodded once, and in acknowledgement said, “Understood.”

——But, directing his gaze at Tobio, he announced the following.

“One thing, you will accept a condition.”

Baraqiel calmly raised his hand. And then——from a sheltered area of the parking lot, Sae made an appearance.

Baraqiel spoke.

“She will also be participating in this present matter.”

Upon hearing these words, Tobio, Natsume, Damain, and Samejima were very much surprised. It was only natural. Sae——in her current state her fighting strength was essentially nonexistent. It was hard to say if the damage she’d endured in the incident a while back would fully fade. Even though that was something that even Baraqiel should be aware of, he had told them to accept her participation.

The first to raise an objection to this——as expected, it was Tobio.

“Sae cannot fight! Her body still hasn’t completely recovered after all! To go to such a dangerous place……I oppose such a thing! Why Sae!”

Tobio clearly objected to Sae’s participation.

Even if usually the personalities of Natsume, Damian, Samejima, Lavinia, Vali, or Asriel could forcibly suppress him, when it came to matters involving Sae in particular, he was always putting his emotions on full display.

Tobio……risking his life, had saved Sae, going as far as to turn into a monster to do it. ……No, not quite. He had lost her right before his eyes. With the aid of his comrades, he had somehow rescued their classmates from the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, including Sae.

His personal childhood friend——.

And with them heading into danger……Tobio could not approve.

“Ikuse Tobio, I can also comprehend what you said. However though, this is an order from the Governor General, from Azazel. Specifically, if Ikuse Tobio goes, then Tomoe Sae is to go along with him.”

“……Why is that?”

Tobio asked in confusion. With the name of the Governor General being mentioned, he ended up temporarily regaining control of his emotions. As for the probable reason, it was immediately inferred.

Baraqiel spoke while directing his gaze at Jin.

“Hmm. Ikuse Tobio, the Ancient Gear you possess——has entered a half-awakened state. We don’t want it to end up in a state like that from before——where the Overdrive ran wild, due to some kind of chance occurrence. That being the case, in order to return it as close as possible to its original condition, we have also been struggling……but we cannot guarantee with certainty that it has been reverted.”

——The Overdrive, the transformation that Tobio, when at the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ hideout the other day, had succumbed……or rather, had set loose.

Tobio himself had only vague memories of that time……but what he recalled was deep blackness, a dark thing that dominated his mind and body, intense negative emotions like killing intent, hostility, rage, and sorrow swirled about inside of him, and a sense that he had lost his true self.

……There was  something  at that time, as though out of a dream, that gave rise to a definitive feeling of discomfort within Tobio, which he had realized was from embracing some foreign entity.

Indeed, the him from that time had assumed the form of a black monster——.

He had been unable to forgive the one who had stolen Sae’s life, until he took the form of a black monster.

Raising her hand, Natsume inquired of Baraqiel.

“Supposing, should Ikuse-kun become the black humanoid dog thing from that time and start rampaging, couldn’t Lavinia, Asriel and Vali work together again to bring him under control?”

At that time as well, Lavinia, Asriel and Vali, together with Governor General Azazel, were able to successfully bring the awakened Tobio under control without incident. He had then returned to human form.

“……It’s possible that it would succeed again, but it’s possible that it would fail this time. Even we Grigori do not yet fully understand the power of Ikuse Tobio. When it comes to the Ancient Gears that are Longinus, if they aren’t dealt with using the strictest of caution, something could happen. Particularly for a Ancient Gear that has previously reached that evolution——the Overdrive, which can be described as a prohibited technique on the level of destroying the world’s balance and send it into an overdrive. Even for the Grigori, after all these long years we’re in the midst of studying this phenomenon. Ikuse Tobio’s awakened state, his present condition, is something we prefer to avoid if possible.”

Baraqiel continued.

“——That may be the situation, but to return to the topic at hand, taking into account the time that your Overdrive ran wild, there exists a possibility that Tomoe Sae’s power will become necessary.”

Tobio was inclining his head in doubt at Baraqiel's explanation, but——.

“We’re speaking of the power of love.”

Azazel emerged from where he’d been hiding without a sound and spoke.

“Governor General! You were here!”

In her surprise, Natsume raised her voice, but Azazel continued without paying her any mind.

“It’s been confirmed that there have been previous Overdrive events, and based on the remaining data, what stopped someone who ended up in a rampaging state was a lover. In addition, even that which was restraining Tobio who was born possessing an awakened state, was none other than his biological grandmother. And her love was immense. If it’s Tomoe Sae, shouldn’t she be sufficient for that role? Or else is her love insufficient?”

With that, in response to the words that were like instigation from Azazel (who was smiling obscenely)——Tobio and Sae’s faces became bright red in extreme embarrassment.

‘……If you say such things in a place like this, of course this would happen!’ thought Tobio as he was overcome with an immense desire to be anywhere else.

Samejima also had his hand on his chin, and in spite of being the same age as them said, “Love, huh. Ah to be so young,” while clearly enjoying the situation.

Although she was still blushing, Sae inquired of Tobio.

“……That seems to be the case. Though I won’t be fighting, if Tobio ends up becoming strange again……if you should need to be stopped, I wish to be the one to stop you. Even if I can’t do anything else, that’s all the more reason for me to want to be the one to stop you.”

She……intended to follow him no matter what it seemed. Her eyes were determined. Since it have come to this Tobio understood that even he couldn’t stop her.

Azazel then spoke further.

“It is certain that you’re heading into danger. There’s also the possibility of Tobio reaching Overdrive. In that case, her very presence will be necessary. Moreover if she cannot resolve the rampage, at that point we’ll have no choice but to use our last resort. That requires no explanation, does it?”

The last resort——elimination, or to put it another way, he’d be disposed of. If his dangerous condition couldn’t be resolved, they’d have no choice but to defeat him. In the case of his rampaging, where he would become a danger to his surrounding to the degree of killing his companions without warning……Tobio didn’t want to think about that.

In order to prevent that Sae’s presence was indispensable——.

While Tobio was calming his breathing, still blushing, he spoke with reddened cheeks.

“……Sae, just don’t do anything rash.”

That was Tobio’s acknowledgment.

Sae nodded saying, “Sure,” with a smile.

Natsume, while watching this state of affair with a grin, had been nodding her head in agreement repeatedly.

“Heeey, Tomoe-san, so you intend to keep him safe! We will also be protecting Tomoe-san!”

“Well, being protected by you seems like it very much wouldn’t be worth it.”

Such was Samejima’s response to this.

“Hey there! I’m not just a frail girl you know!”

Azazel gave a backwards glance to the visibly enraged Natsume as he spoke to Lavinia, Asriel and Vali.

“Above all else, I’m entrusting the three of you with these guys. Well, if something were to happen, send a communication to me. Let us do what we are capable of. Not just Tobio, both of you should be careful with your own powers.”

Lavinia replied with a short, “I will do so,” while Asriel gave a simple smile and thumbs up, and Vali confidently said, “Hmph, I’m not some amateur.”

“Oh, will you be taking care of things Governor General? You did expressly come all the way here.”

It was Natsume who asked this.

Azazel replied with a bitter smile.

“You’d like someone like me who stands out as Governor-General to also come? How do I put this, if a representative such as myself were to go wandering around enemy territory, it would be a very big deal. Baraqiel will escort you as far as the actual location. From there on you’ll just have to so your best. Should the remaining Four Fiends and Friends be safe, or whatever condition they might be in, we have made preparations so that there will be no problem for them to return.”

——Whatever condition they might be in, huh.

……Naturally, it was their intention to rescue them safely. However, there was a inexcusable premonition in spite of that. They were anxious about the opponent they would be heading to face, but for the remaining Four Fiends and Friends as well they——.

In this manner, in order to rescue the three classmates who were that which remained from the Four Fiends and Friends, Tobio, Natsume, Damian, Samejima, Sae, Lavinia, Vali, and Asriel, as the members operating under Baraqiel, set out towards the location they’d been informed of——.

The blue station wagon proceeded with Baraqiel at the wheel as he followed the directions from the car’s navigation system, into which the location had been input.

Vali was in the front passenger seat. The three people in the second row were Tobio, Sae, and Lavinia, while Natsume, Damian and Samejima sat in the third row and Asriel in the very back of the station wagon. Vali had refused to give up the front passenger seat, and now occupied it as though he owned it. It would seem that, as far as he was concerned, the front passenger seat was his favorite spot. Tobio predicted that, most likely, he would be the type to always sit in the first row of the first car when boarding a train.

As for Jin and the other Independent Avatar Type Ancient Gears, Jin, being the only one with a large build, slipped inside Tobio’s shadow, Byakusa accompanied them inside the car, Gryphon seemed to be flying along outside, and, despite his somewhat large build, Esther was in the bacl behind Damian with Asriel.

While filling up with gas at a gas station near their route, they took the time to prepare a reserve amount using portable gas cans. It was insurance since anything could happen where they were heading. Besides, gasoline could also be a weapon when push comes to shove.

The sun was also gradually beginning to set. It would seem that, by the time they reach their destination, the sun would have set entirely.

While driving the car, Baraqiel raised a question.

“Have you looked over the material?”

The material in question was a file they’d been given back when they were making preparations at the apartment complex. Tobio and the others had reviewed its contents before heading to the parking lot.

Baraqiel spoke.

“In all likelihood, in this present case, the probability of of exchanging blows with the remnants of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, the magicians, and the Ancient Gear users is extremely high.”

Indeed, the data recorded was information about Ancient Gear users. There were even attached photos of the individuals.

——It was the data on the aforementioned Astra Team.

Samejima spoke.

“I did give the material a onceover, however, as far as their Ancient Gears go, do they not manipulate living creatures the way ours do?”

As Samejima had said, according to the information Tobio and the others recalled having been taught at the Nephilim Institute, there were several classifications for Ancient Gear abilities.

Baraqiel replied.

“Uhuh, there are a great variety of Ancient Gear abilities. The variety that you all belong to, those abilities are classified as ‘Independent Avatar Types’. As you were taught at Nephilim, and as those documents indicate, there are several other varieties as well. The possessors from the Astra Team, their varieties are too dispersed to be grouped together.”

The abilities of Tobio and the others, which were embodiments of supernatural power, were abilities that were primarily grouped under the ‘Independent Avatar Type’ classification.

This covered Tobio, Natsume, Damian, Samejima, and Lavinia.

For Vali, his Ancient Gear belonged to a system that operated by unleashing the power of a dragon that was sealed within.

In addition to these, there was a wide range of Ancient Gear abilities, with the varieties including ‘State Alteration’, ‘Boundary Seal’, ‘Attribute’, ‘Defence’, ‘Counter’, and ‘Create’ among others.

Naturally, among these, there were those that awakened only a single ability, however, there also existed the strongest of Ancient Gears which possessed two, or even three superior abilities simultaneously.

Referred to as the Longinus, a total of nineteen of these had been confirmed to exist in the world.

……Tobio and Lavinia, and Vali as well, were in possession of Longinus.

Among the nineteen, for three of them to have gathered in one place…and we had also learned of a boy who was born with two Longinus……such things seemed frankly abnormal. With such a situation, it was suitable that they, as the Ancient Gear owners, be under the protection and supervision of the Grigori.

Baraqiel continued.

Within the material you reviewed earlier, there’s just one thing I want you to keep in mind, namely that the powers they——the Astra Team’s members hold are extremely troublesome and powerful. In a simple application, should it come to a contest of power, yours are exceedingly superior on the surface. ——But, their abilities, depending on the time and place, and should the conditions be met, can demonstrate atrociously brutal abilities. From the start, the team was specifically organized from possessors of abilities that were hard to handle. after all.”

As their teacher Baraqiel had said, the threat as described in the documents they had reviewed were enough to make one shudder.

Their abilities——had numerous effects that, if one was subjected to them,  were impossible to recover from. The people the team was put together from had deliberately, or rather, purposefully included those individuals specifically. If that was the case, Tobio thought that the person who lead the Astra Team……must have an extremely cruel personality.

Even the fearless Samejima had commented, “……They’re pretty outrageous, these opponents of ours,” with a solemn expression.

Baraqiel spoke.

“The abilities listed in there, I want you to at least be attentive of them. That information will directly impact your likelihood of survival.”

Tobio and the other students replied, ‘Yes.’

After that, they continued in silence for a short while. As they approached their destination, a feeling of tension naturally began to grow within the vehicle.

That was when it happened.

“Before we arrive at our destination, I would like to tell you a short story.”

The one who broke the silence with these words was Lavinia.

When everyone was listening carefully, she began speaking.

“……I was born in a coastal town in Italy.”

She——Lavinia Lavinian, despite possessing a talent for magic, was not born into a genuine magician’s household. She was born to an ordinary family.

However, when she was born she had been in possession of supernatural ability. From the time of her infancy, a doll of ice had manifested by her side——the Longinus ‘‘.

As a young girl, she knew nothing about it whatsoever, and she feared the princess of ice that no one other than herself could see as an ‘Ice Goblin’.

It was when she was about nine years old. A great incident befell her.

——Her parents died in an accident.

For a nine year old girl, having gone through the death of her parents, she suffered even while understanding the situation.

Since she, who was always talking about the ‘Ice Goblin’ was considered odd by her relatives, it was difficult to find someone willing to take in Lavinia.

Lavinia narrated.

“For myself from that time, compared to how I have been since then, due to losing Papa and Mama I was deeply depressed——and I was enveloped by hatred of for ‘Ice Goblin’.”

Indeed, because she had been under the impression that what had killed both of her parents——was the ‘Ice Demon’.

She felt resentment, hatred, as well as malice towards the ‘Ice Demon that never left her side. If observed by people who couldn’t see anything, they could only perceive Lavinia as a troubled girl who would rage in a loud voice towards empty air.

Even for Lavinia herself the memories of that time were rather vague.

Due to the excessive sadness, the excessive fear, the oversized negative emotions she bore as a young girl, she sealed her memories from that time in her own heart……or perhaps, in the Ancient Gear that was lodged in her body——.

Nevertheless, she clearly remembered this much. Having gone for a walk in her home’s garden, Lavinia experience a sudden and strange feeling, and before she realized it——she was standing in a place with unfamiliar scenery.

The place was surrounded by tall trees. Before she had noticed, she found herself standing in a forest somewhere. Surprised, Lavinia began looking all around, and what she saw was——a wooden building like one out of a fairytale. It was an ancient, isolated house with a slight roundness to it, like one a witch might live in.

Standing in front of the isolated house——was an elderly woman wearing an ordinary smile. She had a pointed hat and robe, was holding a staff, and had the appearance of a prototypical witch from out of a story book.

The old lady spoke.

——It’s alright now.

The old lady——the Witch of the South Glenda who was Lavinia' master, took charge of her, and taught her the way to handle her Sacred Gear, as well as how to handle magic.

In meeting this gentle teacher, Lavinia' heart, which had been sealed away, gradually began to thaw.

Glenda, due to certain circumstances, had moved from the world of Oz to live in this world. Her purpose was to study Ancient Gears.

Life in Glenda’s forest was simple, and for Lavinia it was a time of irreplaceable happiness.

It was there that Lavinia cultivated her talent for magic.

It happened when Lavinia was thirteen years old. Glenda suggested to Lavinia that she spend time outside with magicians of her own generation.

That is to say, it was Glenda’s judgement that, if there were other magicians present in this world, then she should cultivate a rapport with the other magicians in this world.

Shortly afterwards, Glenda entrusted Lavinia to ‘Grauzauber’. Lavinia was pained to be separated from Glenda, but on top of longing for her teacher, she resolved to throw herself into her studies at the magical association.

It was after she’d spent a number of years with ‘Grauzauber’——.

More bad news reached Lavinia.

——Glenda had come under attack by a witch who had come from Oz.

“Having received that report, I returned to the forest that was my second home town. However——“

The isolated house in the forest she had spent so much time in had been burned down, leaving only the carbonized ruin of a house behind.

Glenda’s wellbeing was unknown, however, if it was just concerning the magicians who had come from Oz, she knew how to investigate their trail.

Lavinia pursued the magicians, and in the midst of that, she got wrapped up with the matter of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ and the ‘Four Fiend and Friend Project’ from the other day——.

Natsume then asked.

“……So you’re fighting in order to learn about the condition of your master?”

Lavinia replied.

“……They did not give me a direct answer. Therefore, whether they entered Oz directly or whether they remained in this world to continue meddling, whatever the case, I have decided to pursue them. To that end, since this is my situation, I would like for every one of you to fulfil your own objective. I don’t want to be a hindrance. Even if it is just me by myself, I will pursue them.”

As she said that, Lavinia' expression, unlike how it usually was, was displaying an attribute of cool-headedness.

Having learned of Lavinia' objective, silence swept through the vehicle for a short while.

The first one to speak was Tobio.

“I now understand Lavinia-san’s circumstances. I don’t yet understand the full extent of my power, but even so I will cooperate with searching for your master.”

Those were Tobio’s true feelings.

Hearing Tobio’s statement, Lavinia was slightly surprised.

Tobio continued.

“Lavinia-san has been cooperating with us despite having circumstances of her own. If it wasn’t for Lavinia-san, I……would not have been able to recover from that perilous condition, and Sae and our classmates certainly would not have been rescued.”

Natsume, Damian and Samejima also nodded in response to these words of his.

If Lavinia hadn’t have been there, it would seem that the battle with the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ would not have concluded safely. Tobio felt strongly that they also wouldn’t have been able to completely rescue their classmates.

To this Samejima, while folding his arms, smiled bitterly.

“It’s quite vexing, but it’s just as Ikuse says. If it was just us……it wouldn’t have been a pleasant outcome. Well, the ship has already sailed. In any case, aren’t we heading right towards those witches anyways? Well then, I say we should clean them all up in one go.”

Natsume, leaning forward from the back seat, suddenly hugged Lavinia.

“Quite right, even Samejima-kun says good things once in a while. That’s how it is, Lavinia. Let’s cooperate with each other! Seeing as we’re companions, it’s too late to back out now!”

Even Sae chipped in at that.

“Lavinia-san. I……don’t know to what extent I’ll be able to cooperate, but I want to repay you as thanks for all your help. Therefore, will you tell me how I can be of service?”

In response to the voices of her comrades, Lavinia——smiled.

Lavinia placed her hands on the arms of Natsume, who was still hugging her.

“……Natsume, Damian, Shark, Shyaae, Tobi……thank you.”

In explaining her circumstances, and by making all members aware of them, they’d become unified in thought. While on the way towards a battle, in this vehicle they’d strengthened their unity.

At this, even Baraqiel cracked a smile from the driver’s seat.

Suddenly Samejima asked a question of Vali who was in the passenger seat.

“How about you, Apolydra-sensei? Will you be cooperating with the magical girl?”

Vali had not interjected at all during Lavinia' story. Everyone’s gaze focused upon the young boy.

Vali abruptly put on a nihilistic smile.

“I’ve been aware of Lavinia' circumstances from before. I’ve had an interest in fighting the Wizards of Oz all along after all. Well, I’ll lend you my power.”

At his impertinent line, Samejima shrugged his shoulders and said, “Ahh, sure sure,” in amazement.

Lavinia smiled and spoke.

“Yes, I am aware. Vaa-kun is such a simple boy after all.”

Lavinia' smile reached Vali through the rearview mirror. Upon noticing it, Vali’s face turned blood red.

He had wanted to put on airs suitable for his age, but his true intentions were actually quite frank——.

Part 3
The location party was advancing through was changing. The car had entered a valley, and the farther they went the fewer houses there were. It seemed as though even the road was getting somewhat narrower…….

Already the sun had dropped from the sky, and darkness had fallen.

According to the time displayed on clock inside the car, it was 9:00 PM.

The darkened road was illuminated in the high beams from the station wagon, but the world just a short way ahead was covered in darkness.

The number of trees nearby increase, becoming a wood a first, until at last they were travelling on a forest road.

Even with the cars it was different, as the vehicles that were being driven around before were no longer there.

“Uwaa……. This certainly isn’t a popular place.”

While peering at the state of affairs outside the window, Natsume voiced a few of her thoughts.

This station wagon might have been similar to a reckless person’s coffin plunging into hell.

The view outside alone was enough to give someone the chills. Perhaps it was because it was ominously overgrown with various unfamiliar trees, but the atmosphere was enveloped with a peculiar darkness.

“By any chance, will we perhaps be fighting in a forest for the first time?”

Tobio muttered while gazing at the forest.

Hearing that, the expression of Sae who was beside him instantly darkened.

A battle in a forest late at night——. It seemed that it would be an intense fight when compared to the above average conditions of downtown or a department store.

Tall grasses, never knowing what’s underfoot, and trees that give rise to shadows as well as cover. For them, these would become dangerous factors.

If the trees were to be used as cover, they could be used defensively as well, but the same was true for their opponents. And in regards the the dark forest that was right before them, they were well aware that it was enemy territory.

——Well then, if we were to be attacked in the forest, just how would we fight?

Tobio was pondering this. Baraqiel then spoke.

“We’re close.”

The cursor on the car navigation system was steadily beginning to overlap their destination point.

For a short while now, perhaps because they’d gotten close to their destination, the guidance voice from the navigation system had been speaking up frequently.

They would reach their destination very soon.

——From besides him Sae shouted.

“Ahead!”

The headlights revealed what seemed to be a person on the road in front of them!

Baraqiel hurriedly hit the brakes and the car came to an emergency stop. With everyone riding in the car being impacted by the sudden breaking, Sae and Natsume reflexively let out shrieks of, “Kyah!”

Samejima leaned forward from the back seat to inquire.

“What?”

“A person! There’s what appears to be a person in up ahead!”

It was Natsume who answered Samejima’s question.

In response to the sudden event, Baraqiel unfastened his seat belt. Before getting out of the car he calmly spoke to Tobio and the others.

“……Around here it wouldn’t be unusual even if something were to occur already. Don’t neglect to be cautious.”

Having spoken thus to his students, taking a flashlight in his right hand he opened the door and headed towards the figure up ahead.

Tobio caught his breath. Vali was the model of composure. A cheerfully intrepid smile appeared on his face.

Barakiel aimed the light of his flashlight forward and investigated……but the figure, what had appeared to be a person did not become visible at all.

It had been a misunderstanding……an apologetic ambience drifted through the car. If a person from the village had appeared that would also have been fine. It was the present situation of  nobody came out  that was the most ominous.

That was because this phenomenon itself, given their opponents’ ability, could possibly be a trap. That was something that everyone who was present recognized.

A feeling of tension had drifted through the car’s interior, but Baraqiel who was outside the car, perhaps having sensed some indication, aimed his flashlight at a certain point, and his expression became quizzical.

“Is there somebody there?”

Outside of the car, Baraqiel inquired as such to somebody.

The gaze of everyone in the car gathered in the direction Baraqiel had addressed.

For a moment there was silence. Then, from the shadows of the trees beside the road, there was a single figure——.

When Baraqiel aimed his light there, what was there was the frantic form of a lone girl.

She was a blond (part of her long hair had been braided) with dark tinged features that suggested she was a foreigner.

Tobio, Sae, Natsume, Damian, and Samejima were astonished upon seeing her familiar face.

In accordance with what they recalled, there was her characteristic——mismatched colored eyes, like Sae's. The right eye was blue, and the left eye was black.

With beautiful looks, she was Nanadaru Shigune. Said to have been the most beautiful girl at Ryoukou High School, she was a biracial girl who was part Japanese and part Western. She had been called “Shigune” by those girls she was closest with.

Shigune was wearing the school uniform of the school she had transferred to……but it had gotten dirty in several places, and there were even parts that were torn. There was also a little bit of mud that had gotten on her face. She was breathing heavily, which made it clear she had just been fleeing for her life.

She appealed to Baraqiel with a voice that seemed to take a lot out of her.

“……Please help.”

Baraqiel nodded once.

Baraqiel sent a glance towards those who were in the car.

“Relax. We are your allies.”

Understanding those words that Baraqiel spoke to be a signal, Tobio and the other Ryoukou students exited the car.

Natsume and Sae stood before the cautious Shigune. In response to their familiar faces, Shigune’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“……Minagawa-san, and Tomoe-san……?”

With two of her former female classmates appearing before her eyes, perhaps feeling relieved in addition to her surprise, Shigune ended up sinking to the ground right where she was.

“Woah woah woah! Are you alright!?”

“Relax, Nanadaru-san.”

Natsume and Sae rushed over to the now seated Shigune in order to lend her a gentle hand.

At the same time, Tobio, Damian and Samejima, who had also exited the vehicle, being faced with the safety of one of their remaining classmates, relaxed their tension to a degree and let light smiles leak out.

However, Samejima noticed something that was being held in Shigune’s arms and spoke to Tobio.

“……Is that Nanadaru’s Ancient Gear?”

As Samejima said this, Tobio and Damian had been looking towards Shigune’s arms.

In her arms——she was holding a small quadruped that was wearing something like a mask over its face. Two horns were growing from its head. The mask meanwhile had some kind of pattern like that of a character on it……. However, the mask’s pattern was one that Tobio was familiar with.

When he had been investigation about the Four Fiends and Friends, he had noticed something identical in a book.

That——was displayed as the pattern relating to Toutetsu of the main Four Fiends that was featured in Toutetsu engravings. In other words, the mysterious creature Shigune was holding——it was a Ancient Gear, one of the Four Fiends, the one known as Toutetsu.

……With independent avatar type Ancient Gears, while there are those like Natsume’s falcon and Samejima’s cat that manifest as ordinary creatures, there are also those whose manifestations are peculiar just from their appearance, with the same could be said as Damian's raptor.

Shigune, having been looked after and having recovered her disposition that had slackened slightly, spoke to Tobio and the others.

“We should get away from here! People using strange techniques——“

Shigune only spoke to that extent, and the reason soon became clear.

Next to Tobio, a growl was released from Jin and Esther.

Ahead of the front of the car——towards the road that remained just slightly dark in spite of the headlights, that was where the black dog Jin and white raptor Esther directed their threats. Jin's jet black fur bristled violently and both bared their fangs.

Seeing that, Tobio and the others took defensive postures.

Natsume let out a “Chih chih chih” sound from her mouth, and with sound of flapping wings, Gryphon descended from the out of the darkness. From there he perched on her shoulder.

As Samejima was also preparing himself, Byakusa moved from his shoulder to his arm.

Unnoticed, the sound of insects had died out.

Little by little their skin began to crawl from the blood thirst and hostility.

“Jin……”

At the quiet call of his master, Jin produced a distorted sword from the shadows at his feet and prepared to use his mouth.

Vali, Lavinia, and Asriel had also gotten out of the car.

“Hmph, such obvious killing intent. Interesting.”

“This presence, it is not a magical formula.”

It was when all members had completed their battle preparations.

A strange dry sound with a fixed rhythm like ‘ku ku ku’ was heard from in front of them.

What appeared in the area illuminated by the headlights——was uncanny, one-legged, fifty centimeter stone statue. With tiny wings growing from its back and a single horn on its head, its appearance was one of something grotesque.

At first glance its eyes were closed but…….

Tobio recalled seeing it somewhere before……suddenly he realized it with a jolt.

——This was in the materials on the Astra Team we read before coming here!

Baraqiel stiffened and shouted as the stone statue suddenly moved as though it was violently shivering.

“——Close your eyes!”

As Baraqiel instructed, everyone closed their eyes, and even further covered their eyes entirely with their arms!

In an instant, the area was completely filled with a dazzlingly intense light.

When the light stopped, Tobio and the others timidly opened their eyes. The uncanny stone statue that had been illuminated by the headlights had vanished.

Baraqiel spoke with a bittey expression.

“Really, so they’re sending that out first huh. That——is a Ancient Gear.”

Vali picked up from there.

“It was also written in those files right? ''. As for its characteristic, if one directly receives that light it releases, it gradually steals their eyesight. Depending on the circumstances a person’s eyes would become entirely unable to see anything.”

It was a terrifying thing that the youth was saying, but his expression was composed.

Natsume swallowed and spoke.

“Isn’t that beyond terrifying……?”

Baraqiel then replied.

“It should have been described in the material as well. The Astra Team consists of members with those sorts of abilities.”

Indeed, the Astra Team’s members’ abilities——they were Ancient Gears that dealt damage their opponents could not recover from.

If they’d been hit by the attack like the one just now, they would have had their eyesight stolen, or possibly lost their hearing. Characteristics that impose severe mental pollution with serious side effect, or others that utilized insects that would parasitically feed on the opponent’s body gradually from the inside.

Assassination, torture, the Astra Team was formed of a collection of possessors who were entirely inhumane.

It had been explained to Tobio and the others that, if one were to fight them upfrontly, their mind and body would suffer severe damage of some sort.

The statue just now was a Ancient gear that, when it opened its eyes, would release a light would rob a person of their eyesight.

“……A team that kills at first sight, if that’s the truth I rather not have them as opponents though……”

While paying attention to her surroundings, Natsume muttered as much.

Then Baraqiel, Vali, Asriel, and Lavinia directed their gazes towards a single point. Everyone else matched their gazes.

From the soundless darkness of the road, laughter could be heard.

“Pupupu, upupupu.”

As for that which appeared while letting out such an unpleasant laugh, it was a slender man. He was dressed in something similar to the ‘Nephilim’ uniform worn by Tobio and the others.

The man wore sunglasses, had a crooked mouth, and wore an ugly smile on his face. At his feet was the aforementioned uncanny stone statue. Its eyes were closed once again.

“……I wish to render your eyes sightless quickly. ……I wish to make you understand the sensation of having sightless eyes…….”

As the man spoke, he had the eyes of the stone statue at his feet open——.

Tobio and the others did not permit the silent attack, and Tobio, Natsume, Damian, and Samejima all moved swiftly.

“Slash!”

“Do it!”

“Burn It!”

“Extend!”

Jin charged at high speeds with a sword held in his mouth, Gryphon took to the air, Esther jumped into the air ready to fire his flames, and the point of Byakusa’s long tail shot towards the opponent.

It was a fourfold simultaneous attack, but even in the midst of this the man’s disgusting smile did not cease.

Shigune shouted.

“That statue! There are two of them!”

Hearing that cry, Vali immediately took a quick look behind them and fired a silver aura from his hand!

There was another stone statue, but Tobio and the others’ backs were covered.

“Lavinia! Asriel!”

As Baraqiel called out their names, Lavinia and Asriel expanded two magic circles and both fired at the male opponent. The man was enveloped directly by the blue and black colored aura released from the magic circles……but there was no damage.

The simultaneous hits taken from Jin’s sword, Esther's flames and Byakusa’s tail were insufficient to break the stone statue in front of them, but the stone statue behind them was destroyed with a single attack from Vali.

Gryphon's high speed diving attack was closely avoided by the man.

Towards that man, Baraqiel spoke while generating a small scale electrical phenomenon.

“To go so far as to take even me on, are you all such fools?”

The man, who seemed to be aware that Baraqiel was a Cadre of the Grigori, while squinting and showing a smile, calmly vanished into the darkness.

Riririririri.

The sound of insects resumed. There was no longer any murderous intent being released.

Tobio wiped the sweat that had amassed on his chin with his hand.

With the battle having ended, all members took a deep breath. Shigune then spoke to everyone as though having just recalled.

“Koga-kun! Yuri-chan! Everybody, Koga-kun and Yuri-chan are……!! Their fighting in the village that’s over there!”

Shigune’s expression was urgent as she pointed towards the village.

It would appear that the situation was changing immensely——.

Part 1
After that they got back into the car again, progressed with vigilance, until they reached what appeared to be the entrance to the village.

Houses had been built here and there. ……There was no sign of people. Just from looking from the outside, there did not appear to be any lights inside the houses.

The surrounding landscape consisted only of fields and mountains. After that, there was nothing but the darkness of the night.

There was light from the light poles that had been set up at regular intervals, but the light they produced was unreliable. Compared with the darkness covering the village, the light was entirely insufficient.

Once they reached the entrance, they stopped the car and everyone present got out again.

As he glanced around the area, Baraqiel instructed Vali,

“Vali, are you okay with investigating the surrounding homes?”

Accepting the instruction despite it being tedious, Vali entered the garden of a nearby home.

From the entrance of the village, Tobio and his companions made a rough survey of their surroundings. Due to being in the mountains away from urban areas, it was extremely chilly. Was this just the nature of this region, or else……?

After entering the village, they were assaulted by a rather cold sensation. Perhaps it should be called a pressure. Something that they couldn’t see was making their skin crawl.

There were numerous dark places. It felt as though they were being watched by that everlasting darkness.

Ri-ri-ri-.

In the world of darkest night, only the cries of insects resounded.

“An unpleasant atmosphere……”

While shuddering, Natsume hugged herself as she muttered.

Several minutes passed from when they entered the village. There was no sign they could detect of the people who lived there.

They do say that people in the countryside go to bed quickly and early, but it wouldn’t be strange for at least one or two houses to have lights on late at night. Rather, this situation was what was strange.

Jin, Esther and Byakusa had been clearly vigilant since entering the village. The look in their eyes and their gaits were free of any excess, showing no gaps.

In other words, this village had ended up as just that sort of place. It would not be strange for the Astra Team or the Utsusemi Agency remnants to appear here at any moment.

There was a swooshing sound.

“Hyah”

Natsume let out a pathetic shriek.

The sound came from a nearby clump of bushes. It was also a sign of life.

Tobio and the others raised their guards, but what emerged was a racoon. While twitching its nose, it quickly went off and left them behind.

“What the, a racoon?”

Samejima lowered his raised arms and took a deep breath.

“…………”

Tobio had Natsume and Sae intertwined with his own arms. He met gazes with them, at which point Natsume detached herself from his arm while acting flustered.

“I-It’s nothing. I just blindly got dragged along with the atmosphere for a bit there! It’s not what it seems……”

Natsume spoke confidently, but she was hanging her head and her face was bright red. She couldn’t look Tobio in the eyes.

With the mood of the place and the sudden appearance of the racoon, she had clearly been greatly startled. Unintentionally, she had reflexively jumped at Tobio who was nearby.

——It was then that Vali returned from investigating the private homes.

“In every house, the inhabitants are sleeping. However, they aren’t sleeping just because it’s nighttime. It would be right to say there’s an effect that compelled them to go to sleep.”

This was what Vali informed them of.

Shigune spoke as though realizing something.

“……So that’s why, even when we yelled for help nobody came out……”

It appeared she had asked this village for assistance.

Hearing this information, Baraqiel put his hand to his chin and pondered.

If the people from the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ or the Wizards of Oz were to anticipate a battle possibly occurring here, they might have used a technique to put the residents of this village to sleep. It would be so they wouldn’t see anything unnecessary.”

If there was a chance for it to become troublesome, they’d put everyone in the village to sleep.

He thought it was good that the villagers wouldn’t become victims……but Vali then continued speaking.

“However, if the situation becomes complicated, it’s possible the entire village might be erased.”

At that single statement, Tobio, Sae, and Natsume all shuddered. Indeed, such a thing had been planned for their comrades and themselves as well.

——Then, Baraqiel, Vali, Asriel, Lavinia, Jin, and the other Independent Avatar Types all suddenly turned to look in a certain direction.

Tobio also turned to face the same way……and he experienced a sensation of indescribably ominous chills running through his whole body. From that direction he could sense something powerful whose nature was unfamiliar.

Vali spoke.

“It’s the aura of Kokabiel. Heh, so he himself came here directly.”

At Vali’s statement, Baraqiel's expression became complicated.

Kokabiel——. Originally from the Cadres of the Grigori, he was the fallen angel who had concocted the current incident. The Cadre who had cut ties with the Grigori…….

Baraqiel spoke.

“……I’m going over there. Nanadaru Shigune.”

Suddenly being called out by name, Shigune let out a sound of, “Y-Yessir!”

“You can bring them along to where Koga Hyousuke and Shiranui Lily are, right? If it’s them, they’re bound to be helpful.”

It was a request from the unusually hard-faced man, but Shigune, while tightly embracing her Ancient Gear, nodded.

Baraqiel then spoke to Tobio and the others who were his students.

“I will speak with Kokabiel. You guys rescue your classmates. If Vali, Asriel and Lavinia are with you it’s by no means impossible.”

Baraqiel turned his gaze upon the masked beast Shigune was carrying.

“However, at the very least don’t make a mistake when using that Ancient Gear. What you Nanadaru Shigune are holding is the strongest of the main Four Fiends, ‘‘. It seems like it would damage this whole area the moment it’s used.”

Upon hearing this statement, Tobio and the other former Ryoukou students were shocked. The demon Nanadaru Shigune was holding……for it be an Independent Avatar Type Ancient Gear that would damage the entire area…….

Shigune however was merely finding those words to be strange.

“……I don’t think Poh-kun is such a despicable child as that though……”

Natsume then asked in response.

“Poh-kun? That’s this child’s name?”

Even as Shigune nodded, the demon opened its large mouth that was hidden under the mask. From the sharp fangs lined up inside its mouth, it let out a completely unique sounding cry of “Poh”.

From the cry of ‘Poh’, it became Poh-kun.”

Shigune spoke as she lovingly embraced Poh-kun that was ‘‘. Just from looking at Poh, it didn’t appear all that atrocious on the surface at least…….

Even though he had just revealed various things, Baraqiel immediately moved away.

Vali spoke.

“I really should go that way as well. There may be a battle with Kokabiel.”

Baraqiel replied without even turning his head.

“For that you should first gain use over the armor.”

Hearing that statement, Vali’s fearless smile vanished, and his expression became that of an atypical pout.

“……I’ll gain use of it immediately. ……Kuh, I understand. Today I’m their babysitter.”

Hearing Vali’s response, Baraqiel showed a brief smile, and then left them behind.

After seeing off Baraqiel, Tobio and the others immediately went into action.

Tobio inquired of Shigune.

“Well then, do you know Koga and Shiranui’s whereabouts?”

Shigune pointed towards the interior of the village.

“I came from that mountain over there. On the way Koga-kun and Yuri-chan stayed behind on the mountain to oppose some scary people……”

All who were present turned towards where Shigune was pointing.

Everyone nodded, and while remaining vigilant, they began walking.

The group was walking towards the mountain——but Tobio’s arm was grabbed by Sae.

“…………Tobio.”

The hand Sae was grasping Tobio’s arm with was trembling. This was Sae’s weakness, that she was fundamentally a coward. Since they’d been children she’d been the type who’s extremely weak when it comes to haunted houses, to the point she absolutely refuse to enter.

Nevertheless she’d come this far by burying her fear within her small body.

Tobio gently clasped Sae’s hand.

“Let’s go, Sae.”

The pair of Tobio and Sae continued walking while holding hands. Tobio smiled so as to give her even a small amount of relief.

As a bright red coloration arose on her face, she gave a small nod.

Part 2
About ten minutes after they entered the village——.

The group was advancing along a country road that passed between paddy fields.

While shining the flashlight on the road they were heading towards the mountain.

“We walk and walk and there’s nothing but paddy fields.”

Once again surveying the paddy field scenery, Samejima spoke up.

While enveloped by an air of tension, Tobio and the others continued onward, but there came to them an audible chewing sound like “crunch crunch, munch munch” that was entirely unsuited to the atmosphere of that place.

The source of the sound——was the Ancient Gear “Poh-kun” that Shigune was carrying.

Just as they had been passing through the village entrance, there had been a stomach rumbling sound.

According to the master Shigune,

“Poh-kun is something of a glutton. Since his stomach in invariably empty, I keeping having to feed him……”

So it seemed.

Due to the mask covering its face, his expression was unreadable, but due to the great “Gukyurururururu” sound of his stomach grumbling, which was somewhat cute, and with the sound being able to possibly reveal their position, they immediately fed him the types of emergency rations for the independent avatar types that they’d brought along.

Jin’s type was dry dog food, but “Poh-kun” had begun munching at it without minding.

Shigune’s stomach let out a rumble at the same time, so she was provided with a type of jelly beverage Tobio and the others had brought for their own use. It was for supplying energy rather than for eating, but Shigune accepted them and immediately drank five of them.

Afterwards they continued walking as they crunched down on nutrition bars.

As they were traveling in the midst of this tension, Natsume, who had the nerve to calmly eat while walking, spoke while thinking back on their time at Ryoukou Senior High School.

“Now that you mention it, it was said that Nanadaru-san was a girl who ate a lot.”

At Natsume’s statement, Shigune’s cheeks were dyed red.

“Y-Yeah. It seems to be a familial thing, as there was always a lot on the dining table at home.”

While glancing at her stomach, Natsume continued.

“……However, you haven’t gained weight at all. H-How enviable.”

Natsume let out an utterance while comparing it with her own stomach.

In Tobio’s judgement, he thought that Natsume was also adequately slim……but he concluded that a girl’s perspective and a boy’s perspective had different world views.

As they were moving, Natsume raised an inquiry with Shigune.

“Nanadaru-san, there’s one thing I’d like to ask though……why did you reject the assistance of the ‘Governor-General’? We heard that you, Koga-kun and Shiranui-chan rejected the cooperation of Governor-General Azazel, and were rampaging on your own……”

Indeed, Tobio had heard the same thing from Azazel.

However, just by looking at Shigune who was before them, he couldn’t conceive of her having rejected a friend in need to go rampaging.

Shigune’s expression became one that told absolutely nothing.

“The truth is, Koga-kun, Shiranui-chan and I were temporarily captured by the enemy.”

‘——!!’

At that gut wrenching confession, the Ryoukou students, Tobio, Sae, Natsume, Damian, and Samejima, were shocked.

……Shigune, Koga and Shiranui, for them to have been captured by those guys…….

However, judging from appearances, she did appear to be safe with no physical issues……. The aim of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’——the ‘Four Fiends and Friends Project’, is supposed to have been Natsume and the rest who possess Four Fiends personally.

Natsume spoke in surprise.

“You were temporarily captured by the ‘Utsusemi Agency’? And you were perfectly okay……”

Shigune shook her head.

“Uh-uh. Not the ‘Utsusemi Agency’. The ones who captured us were Chaos……they call themselves ‘Those Who if Forced to Choose Would Bring About Chaos’.”

…… ‘Those Who if Forced to Choose Would Bring About Chaos’ ……even Tobio couldn’t help but to feel baffled by this completely unforeseen state of affairs.

Shigune continued.

“Shutting themselves is a place that’s something like a research institution somewhere, they desired a means to extract a Ancient Gear……to extract Poh-kun……. They subjected me, Koga-kun and Yuri-chan to something, some kind of experiment it seemed, several times. Eventually, I think he was a big-whig over there or something…… he was a beautiful man, that person reached an ‘agreement’ with Koga-kun.”

Koga had made an ‘agreement’ with a man who was a leader of the hostile organization Chaos……. Tobio couldn’t help but to feel a strange apprehension, but Shigune continued her explanation.

“As for what Koga-kun did for that big wig, it was becoming  something scary ……”

Shigune was hesitant to speak. Her expression had been so lifelike.

Damian inquired.

“So Hyousuke became  something scary  then.”

It happened just as Shigune seemed about to reply to Damian's query.

A thunderous roar of ‘Goooon!!’ resounded from the direction of the mountain!

Everyone simultaneously turned to look in that direction. It had come from the precise direction they’d been heading……but the sound just now was not at all usual.

Shigune squeezed out a voice as she embraced “Poh-kun”.

“……Koga-kun, Yuri-chan, so you guys  became  that again……!”

Shigune shuddered. This supernatural wave——the aura that could be sensed from the mountain, Tobio’s mind and body conveyed that it was not an ordinary thing.

The party nodded to one another and started running towards the place where the aura had manifested.

As they were heading towards the place where Koga and Shiranui seemed to be, from out of the shadows of the countryside that had been silent, they could hear the sounds of unimaginably heavy explosions and impacts.

It was obvious that Koga and Shiranui has gotten dragged into a fight.

From the country road the party advance into a forest, and Vali who was in the lead muttered a soliloquy.

“What, why? ……What the hell? Is that really true?”

It seemed he was conversing with the thing inside him——the dragon that was said to reside within him.

“Vali, did you learn something?”

Natsume asked Vali about it but——.

‘It would seem that I should perhaps speak so that everyone present can hear.’

An unfamiliar voice was heard from the direction of Vali!

‘This is the first time I’ve spoken with everyone, huh.’

Looking at him the mouth of the dragon plush toy placed on his shoulder was moving, and a voice was being emitted!

“…………”

“…………”

“…………!!”

At this Tobio and the others stopped walking, having been struck dumb.

Natsume and Samejima both raised their voices as they pointed to the plush toy on Vali’s shoulder.

“”W-Who’s that!?””

Tobio hadn’t raised his voice like the pair of them, but deep down he was also surprised. To think, for a voice other than Azazel’s to come out of the plush toy…….

According to Natsume, the dragon perched on Vali’s shoulder was a means of emergency communication from Azazel. For an unfamiliar voice to emerge from it was surprising.

While resuming her walking, Natsume inquired of the plush toy.

“……W-Well then, you are the dragon that dwells within Vali then.”

‘Uhuh. I am one of the Two Heavenly Dragons, the  known as the White Dragon Emperor Albion. Allow me to express my apologies for my late introduction.’

While narrowing his eyes, Samejima muttered under his breath.

“……So it isn’t just an ordinary plush toy?”

To this Lavinia responded, speaking with a smiling face.

“Governor-General Azazel, Asri-chan and I have been occasionally conversing with Al-kun.”

‘It’s because Miss Lavinia, Asriel and Governor-General Azazel have had various things to discuss when it comes to Vali.’

So Lavinia, Asriel and Azazel had already spoken to him before. Or rather, judging from the tone, it seemed they’d been socializing in a way.

The plush dragon——Albion spoke.

‘Since there are numerous things in which Vali is still inexperienced, I make use of this device in order for my voice to be audibly heard by those outside.’

Vali spoke while displaying a dissatisfied expression in response to this.

“Albion, I’d prefer if you didn’t say so much.”

‘Hmph, is that so. My apologies.’

Although Vali and Albion were having such a give and take, Tobio asked the dragon about before.

“Well then, if I could ask the  about before, what was it that you realized?”

‘Just now, the enormous aura from the mountain ahead, it was exceedingly similar to a certain phenomenon.’

“……A certain phenomenon?”

In response to Tobio who had asked back, Albion continued.

‘When the Ancient Gear and the owner of the ability reach a dramatic change in body and spirit, it’s a different domain that they then  reach .’

“……The .”

The phenomenon was one that Tobio was already aware, since Azazel had told him about a short while ago. Tobio had found out that, from the time he himself had been born, he had already been setting foot in that domain.

The Overdrive——it was the power of the Ancient Gear that would manifest when one achieved a certain domain, a phenomenon considered to be the final achievement for a Ancient Gear.

Fundamentally considered to be a power of an impossible degree, depending on the owner, this phenomenon was something that would form an exceptional power.

Regarding this thing of which Tobio had spoken, Albion gave his affirmation.

‘Quite so. The surge of this aura was extremely similar to that phenomenon.’

In other words, if what Albion said was true, that strange aura they had sensed from the mountain due to the phenomenon of Overdrive……?

If that was what Koga Hyousuke and Shiranui Lily had become——.

Shigune spoke up cautiously.

“……Koga-kun said that that pretty man also called it that……. In that case it might just explain that power……”

Shigune, who apparently had already seen Koga and Shiranui’s powers, was able to agree with Tobio and Albion’s describing it as a Overdrive.

Natsume inquired of Albion.

“So Koga-kun and Yuri-chan, by cooperating with Those Who if Forced to Choose Would Bring About Chaos, was able to evolve his Ancient Gear to the point that it transcends our own?”

However, Albion gave an ambiguous response.

‘……No, it merely resembled it. I have a good understanding of Overdrives. Consequently I find that aura incomprehensible……’

It seemed that even Albion who knew a good deal about Overdrive was perplexed by the aura.

Well then, just what happened to their bodies?

With that not being the only question on their minds, Tobio and the others finally arrived where the aura had originated from.

Lavinia produced light using her magic and illuminated their surroundings.

As for what was there——.

“Ugh!”

Natsume’s involuntary reaction was being at a loss for words.

What was revealed by the magical illumination was a ghastly scene coated with blood.

All throughout the area, there lay men wearing business suits who had been turned into gruesome corpses. Those who had been chopped to pieces, those whose arms and legs had been removed, and those whose heads had been mashed into a pulp, and those in positions nobody should go through.

The scene had become something they couldn’t bear to look at.

Sae and Shigune forcibly suppressed their shrieks with their hands, having turned their faces away.

Perhaps out of consideration for them, Lavinia regulated the light so as not to illuminate the remaining corpses.

In this scene that caused people to avert their eyes, there were only two living things that were moving.

Lavinia directed the light at it——and standing there was a duo of a boy and a girl.

The boy had unkempt black hair set with gold highlights here and there, and an indescribably ominous thing was coiled around his entire body.

And the girl had long purple hair with an prominent ahoge and a childish body, who had an ominous lantern around her waist.

——They were Koga Hyousuke and Shiranui Lily.

They were wearing their old school uniforms from when they’d transferred away from Ryoukou Senior High School.

……There was something resembling a gauntlet equipped on Koga's right arm and a lantern attached to Shiranui's waist, and which concerned Tobio……. When he looked it seemed that Lavinia, Damian and Vali were also concerned with gauntlet and lantern.

Even as Koga and Shiranui was looking towards the light, they were wiping the blood of the men off of themselves.

Koga noticed that Shigune was there and spoke with a light-hearted expression.

“Oh, if it ain’t Nanadaru. So you came back. Something going on……other than this that is.”

Becoming aware of Tobio and the others around Shigune, he began counting them off one by one, pointing at each in turn.

“Let’s see, Damian, Ikuse, Same-chan, Minagawa and Tomoe……and three foreigners besides that. By any chance, the lineup of the Four Fiends and Friends……did it unexpectedly end up becoming the six fiends and friends?”

As he inclined his head while letting that comment leak out, at his and Shiranui's side——there existed a body that looked like a mass of deep black fur and long colorful creature.

Under a closer look, the former looked similar to a black furred dog. With a protruding mouth like a dog and four limbs with claws, the creature seemed to embody a dog’s characteristics……but with the fur covering the area around the eyes, its face was indiscernible. And the latter looked like an long, dragon-like creature with an lion's face.

A long-haired breed——was not what it seemed to be. The aura the creature was clad in was a stagnant black, to point of inducing feelings of unease.

Having noticed Tobio’s gaze on the dog-like creature, Koga spoke.

“Aah, this is Blitz, and the other one is Shiranui's Lulou. They're what you’d call my Ancient Gear.”

……As expected, these creatures were Koga and Shiranui's Ancient Gears, the last member of the main Four Fiends and an Firend—— and.

Directing his gaze towards Jin who was at Tobio’s side, Koga was astonished.

“That dog……it’s exactly like my Blitz. By any chance, is Ikuse or Tomoe one of the actual Four Fiends or a Friend?”

Tobio shook his head.

“……No, Sae and I are not of the Four Fiends and Friends. Jin here is my Ancient Gear.”

Hearing that, Koga stared at Jin with great interest.

The black dog——Jin, and the black dog-like Four Fiend——Blitz, also made eye contact with each other.

Tobio and Koga watched as the Ancient Gears stared at one another. ——Then Koga shrugged.

“Well whatever. Leaving that aside——“

Koga’s gaze settled amidst the interior of the mountains. Jin and the other Ancient Gears also reacted, glaring in the same direction as Koga an Shiranui.

“It seems our uninvited guests have some business with us.”

Hearing this statement of Shiranui’s, Tobio and the others all simultaneously became alert, and prepared themselves.

From out of the depths of the mountain, what which appeared together with darkness was an elderly foreign woman with the appearance of a magician in a purple robe.

The sharp glint in her eye was familiar.

When he’d been taken to the stronghold of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, Tobio had encountered this old woman.

——Augusta of the White Flame, there’s no mistaking that was what she was called.

Augusta had appeared having brought along a girl wearing gothic style clothes——her disciple Walburga, along with several magicians.

“We have been surrounded.”

Lavinia spoke while glaring at Augusta who was before them.

As she had said, people who appeared to be female magicians wearing robes had, without them being the wiser, surrounded Tobio and the others.

……Having not noticed when they had been surrounded, Tobio and the other Ryoukou students were especially surprised.

Augusta observed Tobio and the others one by with while narrowing her eyes.

“Since I had heard that there was a hard fight against those guy from the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, if I were to come here with my disciples——I would find that the dog from before and Glenda’s disciple would also be here.”

Augusta spoke with a pleased sounding voice.

Subsequently, a chill began to dominate the area. The season changed to a cold atmosphere, which wafted throughout the area.

The source of this outbreak was Lavinia. Her expression had become frighteningly cold, and as her breath turned white, she stated the following.

“This is just great. While assisting Tobio, Natsume, and my other companions, I will eradicate all of you.”

To Lavinia's provocation, the old magician displayed a fearless smile.

“Those scary eyes are so unlike you, Glenda’s disciple.”

“……That was caused by you all.”

In this state of heightening tension, a loud ringing voice resounded from up in the sky.

“Hmph, one of the, ‘‘. So the user is the Witch of the East from Oz.”

Looking in the direction of the voice, Tobio and the others could only just make it out.

On a tall tree, standing on a branch overlooking them, was the figure of a silver haired boy——Vali. As for just when he had climbed up the tree, Tobio and the others hadn’t noticed.

The wings of light that were his Ancient Gear had appeared on his back.

While folding his arms, Vali spoke to Augusta with a magnificent smile.

“I am Vali Apollyon. The being that carries the  with him. As those possessing similar Longinus, I wish to compete with you by all means.”

Natsume spoke to Vali who was up in the tree.

“Va-Vali! I-It’s dangerous so get down from there! Don’t go making provocations from such a place, you can do it just fine down here!”

Disregarding Natsume’s statement, Vali and Augusta glared at each other.

The old witch laughed with a “Kah kah kah.”

“Oho, so a small boy like you is this era’s White Dragon Emperor. Moreover, as rumored, it’s the successor to ‘Phoebus Apollo’. This is quite interesting.”

“Well, perhaps you’ll enjoy this as well.”

As he spoke, Vali flapped his wings of light, descending until he reached the surface.

It wasn’t possible to say anything about Vali’s statement……but since the members other than Tobio, Natsume, Damian, and Samejima seemed to have generally come to terms with it, given the situation, they decided to assume battle poses while paying it no mind.

Koga, though watching over this carefully, broke the silence, and spoke while scratching his cheek.

“Somehow, I don’t really get it, but is it fine just to say that the white grandmother is our opponent? ... Wait what I just say?”

From the tip of Augusta’s staff, a magic circle for the sake of using magic was formed in midair as she herself spoke.

“That’s fine. It seems that the likes of you understands.”

At the old woman’s reply, Koga nodded and said, “I see, I get it now.”

Subsequently, after giving a single stroke of his Ancient Gear——the beast Blitz, he took a single step forward.

“Well then, I guess this is the continuation. ——Blitz.”

Koga, advancing together with Blitz, held out the right-handed gauntlet from before, and operated a slide on that gauntlet with his left hand. Just as the gauntlet started glowing, it started to release an ominous brilliance.

Simultaneously, Blitz, who was beside him, began releasing a deep black aura from his entire body, which resonated with the brilliance of the gauntlet.

The vibrations made the atmosphere tremble violently, and as a sound was emitted from the gauntlet, Koga raised his voice.

“——Balance Break.”

‘Si-xiong Húndùn Over Booster!!!!’

A massive aura filled the area with Koga and Blitz at its center, and a dazzling brilliance spread along with it——.

When the light ceased, what was there was a lustrous black exoskeletal powered suit. It had a beastial shape where the head and limbs resembled those of a dog, and what looked like the long fur which had hardened grew from the back of the head.

In the center of the body——the middle of the chest, there glittered something which resembled a gem.

It seemed that by using the thing resembling a gauntlet that he wore on his right hand, Koga could manifest that powered suit, which he would then don…….

Blitz, who had been beside him, had vanished, while the powered suit displayed an appearance that closely resembled Koga’s Ancient Gear.

Could Koga and his independent avatar type Ancient Gear, by using the gauntlet, be said to have been unified——or combined?

Did Blitz assume the form of the powered suit that Koga is wearing……?

Seemingly having understood something, Vali spoke as though in admiration.

“……I see, so research using  our armors  as reference has already reached this far……”

Augusta, who had been watching this, had brought her hand to her chin in great interest. She was observing the gauntlet on Koga’s right arm.

“……He used that to forcibly Balance Break and enter Overdrive. ……No, it appears as though it’s a type of rampage. Is there some degree of compensation for it? In any case, it can be said that  that man  is relentless. I suppose we should also act. ——Walburga.”

At her master’s call, a girl wearing gothic lolita style clothing stepped up from the rear, dancing as though for joy as she stepped into the limelight.

“Yessir, Oshi-sama𝆕”

“You shall cooperate with the Astra Team along with the other magicians, and go run wild with that boy.”

“Ufufufun𝆕 You got it! What an interesting idea𝆕”

Walburga’s gaze came to rest on Koga——and Tobio and the others. Her innocent eyes also bore a cold hearted look.

“Now then, I shall——“

Augusta’s eyes shifted over to Lavinia.

“I guess I should tell you about Glenda. That’s provided that you can defeat me though. ——Accompany me, Ice Princess.”

Augusta calmly vanished in the mountain’s nighttime darkness.

“…………!”

In response to Augusta having distanced herself from them, Lavinia was troubled what to do next.

She wanted to pursue, but she couldn’t just leave her companions behind. Lavinia decided upon her companions and formed a magic circle directed at Augusta’s subordinates.

In response however, Natsume, with Gryphon perched on her arm, shouted to Lavinia.

“Do something! At long last you can grasp at a clue to your master after all, so it’s no good not to pursue it! We’ll manage somehow on this end!”

Tobio and the others also nodded their consent with Natsume’s comment. Everyone was behind Lavinia.

During the battle with the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ the other day, she had supported Tobio and the others. This time it was their turn.

Lavinia's expression became overwhelmed with emotion at her companions’ kindness, and she immediately turned her attention towards the direction in which Augusta had left.

“Natsume, everyone, thank you!”

Lavinia ran off in pursuit of Augusta.

Natsume spoke to the running Lavinia.

“If you think it’s a trap, escape immediately!”

“I understand!”

That exchange served as the signal for the commencement of hostilities at that place.

With Augusta and Lavinia having departed from there, Walburga issued instructions to the the magicians.

“Well then, first of all, let us start rampaging!”

As Walburga raised her hand, the magicians also held their hands forward in preparation, forming magic circles.

They were about to fire magic from those, but sound of the air being cut resounded nearby, and before the eyes of Tobio and the others something wriggled at high speeds.

In an instant——raising a momentary *prin* sound, the magicians’ magic circles were destroyed.

If they were to focus their eyes, long and narrow black whip-like things were wriggling back and forth at high speeds throughout the area, and were smashing the magic circles.

Regarding those long and narrow whip-like things, they were growing from the head of the powered suit-like object that Koga was wearing.

It was something taking the form of hair whose usual stiffness had been altered, and it was destroying the magicians’ magic circles as though possessing a will of its own.

At this Walburga smiled intrepidly.

“Wow𝆕 That’s quite a method of attacking! Isn’t this fun?”

Walburga was also forming a magic circle, from which she was about to release magic. In response Koga’s hair that had taken on the hardness of a whip extended.

Just as it had destroyed the magic circles of the surrounding magicians, it was expected the it would also shatter Walburga magic circle but——.

Walburga’s magic circle, easily repeling Koga’s attack, was launching a sphere of flame from the magic circle.

Tobio and the others evaded. They were assaulted by heat strong enough to roast their skin, but Tobio quickly gave orders to Jin, who sliced the sphere of flame in half using the black sword held in his mouth.

The flame sphere that had been sliced in half vanished into thin air.

If that mass of flames she released had spread within a mountain wood like this one……it’s possible it would have turned into a forest fire. It was scary to imagine what might have happened had reached the point of damaging the village where the residents had been put to sleep.

Just by looking at the ecstatically smiling Walburga, one could see that she thought it would be fine if such a thing befell those people.

Samejima shouted while forming Byakusa’s tail lance on his right arm.

“Ikuse! Chase after the magical girl! Birdbrain, Tomoe, and Nanadaru go with him! It’s just my intuition, but I have a hunch that victory or defeat between that hag and the magical girl has yet to be determined. Vali, you’ll remain here with me and Damian and smash these guys!”

Vali gave an unusual response to Samejima’s proposal.

“It can’t be helped. It’s annoying to to be given instructions by Samejima Kouki, however I’m interested in the forced Overdrive of this man named Koga. While fighting here, I may get a chance to watch it from up close.”

Tobio was also in agreement with what Samejima had said.

As Natsume had said to Lavinia not long ago, it appeared that Augusta was luring Lavinia into a trap. He believed that Lavinia was aware of that to a certain degree, but…….

He couldn’t help but to feel that that old woman——Augusta was beyond her expectations.

Samejima’s proposal was correct, as even if Lavinia could be said to be stronger than Tobio and the others, it seemed unwise for her to be on her own.

Tobio spoke to Natsume who was putting up a fight with Gryphon, to Sae who on alert in the rear, as well as to Shigune.

“Minagawa-san, Nanadaru-san, let’s go! Don’t get too distant from me Sae!”

With the female group also depending on Tobio, the four of them quickly ran from that place.

Koga spoke in response to the behavior of Tobio and the others.

“Oh, so they’re chasing after that grandmother. ——Well, shall I form a joint front with Damian and Same-chan?”

Samejima, while avoiding fire magic that was being shot from a magician, blew away his opponent with his lance and shouted.

“I didn’t exactly get along with you ever since we were at Ryoukou but……well, I can accompany you for just a bit!”

Next to them, Vali was erasing the spells of several magicians with aura fired from his hands.

“My my, surprisingly, you’ve mellowed out. Well, I guess I could get used to it.”

The two Ryoukou Senior High School problem children had commenced hostilities against the opposing magicians——.

Meanwhile, Tobio and the others were pursuing Lavinia.

Kokabiel/Baraqiel
Having parted from Tobio and his other students, Baraqiel had been advancing towards the mountain area by relying upon the familiar aura.

The place he finally arrived at——was an aged Shinto shrine that had been a site of worship in the village.

However, as a fallen angel are not being of Japanese mythological origin, it was inappropriate for Baraqiel to set foot on the site of the shrine without the permission of the gods worshiped in this country.

Coming to a stop before the torii, that memory was suddenly recalled.

Over ten years ago, having been driven to the edge by an antagonistic organization, he had concealed himself near a Shinto shrine that was in this country.

——A-Are you okay? Though it does seem that you have been injured…….

In his mind, he recalled a single beautiful woman.

The memory was dear, fleeting, warm, and also——painful, to the degree of a pressure in his chest.

“As far as you are concerned, your wounds have yet to heal, right? The sort that you’re experiencing that is.”

Baraqiel directed his in the direction the voice had come from.

The one who appeared from the shadow of a large tree was a tall man dressed in a fallen angel-use battlesuit.

“Choosing this place was not on purpose.”

The man who said that had jet-black hair over masculine facial features, and his blood-red eyes could be seen to gleam dubiously even in the nighttime darkness.

The man continued while brushing his hand upwards through his hair.

“The god that is worshipped here, it won’t appear if someone from the village gets injured, so unless one enters that compound, it doesn’t care what they do. When it comes to the gods of this country, it seems that, for many of them, regardless of which mythological system the other party originates from, they basically don’t care so long as you don’t pollute their territory.”

The man shrugged his shoulders.

“Rather, it’s like it’s the people nearby who worship those gods who are strict with us foreigners. You as well, as someone who isn’t a god, had peers who would approach and deify you.”

Baraqiel let out a long sigh and assembled his words.

“It’s not like I came to talk with you about this country’s mythological system. ——Kokabiel. Why did you leave the Grigori?”

In response to Baraqiel's direct words, the man——Kokabiel looked pleased.

“As usual, you’re just straight up asking. ……Well, even if this place drags up the incident that you went through, it’s not as though there’s any benefit to me……”

Kokabiel gently raised his left hand. The movement was one that was similar to restraining something.

From the time he had come here Baraqiel had understood. That he was already completing surrounded by assassins.

Eight or nine cases out of ten, his backup was Kokabiel's proteges, the ‘Astra Team’. An unpleasant atmosphere of fighting intent waft drifting through the area.

Kokabiel spoke.

“I just desire the same Ancient Gear possibilities as the other researchers. However, Azazel had no intention of slackening his degree of oversight.”

“So therefore you slipped away from the organization and joined hands with other powers? You offered the Grigori’s research and the like to an agency related to the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families……did you not realize just how much chaos that would cause?”

“…………”

Kokabiel made a complicated expression in response to Baraqiel's statement.

……Baraqiel understood that he himself was unqualified to say the statement from just now……but nevertheless it was advice from one who didn’t want his companions to feel the same way as himself.

For his part Kokabiel, who dared not return to that situation, replied thus.

“It is merely that my goals are in agreement with the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ and Oz.”

Baraqiel directed his gaze towards the powerful aura that been causing him to feel uneasy since some time ago.

“……So  that  is also your doing then.”

“It’s merely the theory of myself and Azazel quickly showing its form. ……I won’t deny though that it was a considerably coercive method. Tentatively, it appears to be a success. Azazel’s theory was splendid.”

“……Don’t just do things that invite chaos into the world.”

“Aren’t those Azazel’s words? Try persuading me with your own words.”

In response to Kokabiel's question, Baraqiel began to release electrical discharges from his entire body. His entire body began to flow with electricity.

“Aren’t you well aware that I’m slow of speech? Where my words are concerned, I have no choice but to use this.”

Kokabiel became joyful in response to Baraqiel's fighting spirit.

“That should be easy for them to understand. Forcibly bringing me back to headquarters. Isn’t that the purpose of ‘lightning’? ——However, before that I must fulfil one of my purposes.”

True to his words, Kokabiel snapped his fingers once.

Subsequently, a mist began to spring forth throughout the area.

Kokabiel spoke.

“It’s a transference-type Ancient Gear.”

Baraqiel was thinking back upon the possessor among the “Astra Team” Kokabiel had brought along who manifested the “Forest of Bewilderment”.

By means of crafting its ability into a part of the forest, it was something capable of guiding those who were treading within it to whatever place the user wanted.

After a short while, he sensed the presence of several people from within the mist.

The ones who appeared from within the mist were——.

“……Baraqiel-sensei?”

It was the four person group consisting of Ikuse Tobio, Minagawa Natsume, Tomoe Sae, and Nanadaru Shigune——.

Kokabiel displayed a smile once he realized that they had been brought there.

“Now then, let’s finish what I have to do.”

Part 1
In order to follow Lavinia who had been chasing Augusta, Tobio and the others had been dashing deeper into the mountains but…….

They were suddenly enshrouded in mist, and by the time they’d noticed——they’d reached a place where before their eyes was Baraqiel and a tall man.

“Eh? What is this? We were chasing Lavinia……and yet before us now is Baraqiel-sensei……huh?”

Natsume couldn’t help but to be confused.

Tobio was also feeling the same……he had judged however that, most likely, the mist from earlier was some sort of supernatural power, one which had brought them to this place.

The tall man approached while watching them with his red eyes.

His gaze held extreme towards them, to the degree they could practically see into his soul.

The man displayed a thin smile.

“——The imitation god and each of the Four Fiends. Nice to meet you. I am Kokabiel.”

——!

At the man’s self-introduction, Tobio, Natsume, and Sae were terribly surprised.

This was because they recognized the man before them as one of the masterminds behind the series of events. Moreover, he was the leader who betrayed the organization of Azazel.

Shigune let out a subdued mutter while holding Poh-kun.

“……The aforementioned beautiful man……. This is the person, the one who made a deal with Koga-kun and Yuri-chan.”

With the transformation accomplished by Koga fresh in their minds, upon realizing that the transaction partner was right in front of them, Tobio and the others were able to understand that Kokabiel's connection to the current events was considerable.

His black dog accomplice——Jin, even while remaining vigilant towards Kokabiel who was before him, was using his eyes and ears to scan the surrounding area.

Somehow or another, it seemed that the enemy had surrounded the place.

In response to Jin quietly, without so much as a growl, raising his aura of fighting intent, Kokabiel put on a seemingly happy expression.

Kokabiel pointed at Jin as he spoke.

“Your Ancient Gear bears a certain will within it. ——Are you perhaps aware of the being known as Lycaon?”

“……I heard a little bit from Governor-General Azazel.”

In regards to the ancient gear that dwelt within him, Tobio had received a certain degree of an explanation from Azazel.

Of course, that didn’t mean he had been told everything, and it had ended up such that the continuation of the tale would happen when circumstances permitted.

However, he had heard roughly everything in regards to its origins.

Kokabiel spoke of things identical to what Azazel had said.

“The paradise that appears in Greek mythology——‘Arcadia’, Lycaon was said to be the name of the king who ruled over it. Due to accumulating misdeeds against the chief god of Greek mythology Zeus, he earned Zeus’s wrath and was degraded into the form of a beast. His name was passed down in legends as a wicked king.”

Lycaon——.

The originator of werewolves——the king who was said to be the original true ancestor. As far as the myth of Lycaon was concerned, he was famous as a wolf even if it was only a temporary form from when the gods would descend to walk the earth.

Kokabiel stared at Jin with narrowed eyes.

“——But, that thing of yours isn’t a wolf, it’s become a dog. It is an imitation god that isn’t a wolf at all——. The reason is something that even the Grigori haven’t been able to understand. Most likely, even for the  who made it, that was a result that could not have been predicted.”

Azazel, perhaps coming from his influence that transcended mythological systems, had stated several theories but…….

Kokabiel raised his index finger.

“There is one more will that is lodged within that Ancient Gear.”

Indeed, Jin——‘Ravaged Dog God of the Black Blade Canis Lycaon’, had another existence other than Lycaon lodged within it.

Kokabiel spoke.

“——‘Ame no Ohabari’, the strongest among the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi that are considered divine swords, which even obtained divinity. While a god, it is a blade——. That will is also lodged within you.”

The source of the warped blades produced by Jin is ‘Ame no Ohabari’——.

However, it was also considered to have lost its divinity. As a consequence it is receiving Lycaon’s influence, turning it into an ominous blade.

Kokabiel then continued.

“However, that you emerged from the Himejima bloodline is not coincidental from my perspective. The one they worship is the god Hinokagutsuchi. The sword which beheaded him——was ‘Ame no Ohabari’. It’s what called a god-slaying sword. It seems almost inevitable that you would be born possessing that power.”

When he first heard about that from Azazel, he felt like he understood the reason why Himejima Hanezu had been so attached to his power in the end.

For a man who detested the Himejima, if an existence that slew the god worshiped by the Himejima was born from the Himejima bloodline, it was only natural that he’d bear a great interest in it.

——I have fashioned you into an ominous blade.

Tobio did not recall that instant, but it seemed those were the last words of Himejima Hanezu.

Kokabiel shrugged his shoulders and spoke.

“It’s a mashup of Greek mythology and Japanese mythology. Moreover, it’s a cross between King Lycaon who bore ill will towards Zeus and god-slaying sword……. How befitting that the one who produced the Ancient Gears was such a whimsical, or rather, crazy Creator. ——Don’t you think so? Imitation  possessing the god-slaying .”

Tobio was the one being asked but…….

‘Canis Lycaon’——when it came to ancient gears, for two beings to dwell within one simultaneously was an exceedingly rare case, and with them both being powerful, it followed that such a thing would be counted among the Longinus.

However, perhaps because they were mutually contrary existences, their original characteristics had been warped into their current conglomeration.

Tobio replied with careful vigilance.

“……I have an interest in my own ability, but for breaking through the present situation, it is necessary in order to survive. It seems you have a great interest in Ancient Gears……but for me if it brings everyone back safely that is all I care about.”

From out of his own shadow, Tobio produced a single scythe.

Kokabiel was watching Tobio’s actions with cynicism. He pointed at the sickle.

“However, that blade seems to be releasing an entirely ominous radiance regardless of your intentions.”

As Kokabiel said, the sickle Tobio was wielding was releasing a dangerous brilliance, to the point that even Tobio who was wielding it could feel a deep black something from the sickle.

He sensed that the being dwelling within him, pushing past the will of its host, was attempting to alter his awareness……. It was still to an extent that it could be held back, but if it got any stronger than this, just how would things end up……?

While experiencing a touch of anxiety, that voice became audible.

“Would you be so kind as to not indoctrinate that child with strange ideas?”

The one who appeared was Himejima Suzaku.

She appeared while clad in a courageous aura and atmosphere.

With next head of the Himejima clan to having appeared, Kokabiel's expression seemed to become even more pleased.

“The Himegimi of the Himejima clan. Are you hunting the remnants of the ‘Utsusemi Agency? Or else did you come to capture the Dog God?”

In response to Kokabiel's query, Suzaku spoke while producing flames in her hand.

“The former of course. My subordinates are already concealed throughout this entire area. Though there are only a few of them, I shall have them capture the remnants of that agency. Please do not hate me though should those practitioners from Oz, as well as thy own subordinates, end up being injured or even arrested while that is ongoing. That incident that developed before was because of thou after all.”

“As always you are at least quick when it comes to brushing away the sparks involved with your household. After speaking with a friend, I was even able to see the face of the dog at last. ——Well then, I’ll leave the rest to the White Flames.”

As he said that, Kokabiel expanded a magic circle beneath his feet.

“——Transporting is it? I won’t allow it.”

Reacting instantly, Suzaku proceeded to fire a sphere of flames originating from her hand.

Thrusting his hand forward, Kokabiel produced a magic circle that served as a protective wall, which protected him from Suzaku’s flame.

Kokabiel was enveloped in light released from the magic circle he’d created.

“Let us meet again, ladies and gentlemen.”

When those words were concluded, the light light ceased——and the figure of Kokabiel was no longer there.

It seemed he had jumped to some other place using a transportation type magic circle.

Suzaku spoke to Baraqiel.

“Oji-sama, please pursue him. For such a well-informed man, it is likely possible to acertain insight in this situation as to place he transferred to.”

“However”

“Considering the possibility of being a hinderance to that man, the only one in this situation who can do that is you Oji-sama. Please leave Tobio and the others to me. ……Can’t you depend on me?”

In response to Suzaku’s question, Baraqiel seemed as though he wanted to say something, but he swallowed them down and made black wings appear from his back.

“Sorry.”

Baraqiel flew away from that place.

“You all! Don’t be rash at the very least!”

Leaving those words behind, Baraqiel pursued Kokabiel.

Tobio, Natsume, Sae, Shigune, and Suzaku were left behind——.

Suzaku boldly addressed the people who appeared to be on standby in the surrounding area.

“Be so kind as to come out. You will won’t you? Given that your master isn’t nearby, you surely were left behind in order to fight us.”

In response to Suzaku’s provocation, four men and women revealed themselves from where they were hiding.

There was the sunglasses man they had met just before, a new man with a handsome physique, a man with a bandage wrapped around his right arm, and a woman with braided hairstyle who was holding a tattered bear plush doll in both arms.

They were all dressed in a uniform resembling that of ‘Nephilim’.

As Tobio and the others had been told by Baraqiel, this was the exclusive uniform of the ‘Astra Team’.

All of them were people who had been listed in the materials they’d been given.

The opponents were oozing an uneasiness from their bodies, and from their eyes most of all. As though to curse the entire world, their eyes reflected a terrible corruption.

……Their circumstances had also been written about in the materials.

As a result of the ancient gears they carried in their bodies being atrocious ones, they’d been neglected by those around them since the time they were children. Even their true blood relatives kept a distance, and more than a few people had tried to kill them.

Due to having lived while only seeing the ugly side of humanity, they were warped entirely from their personalities all the way to their abilities.

It was also said that none of them had not become murderers. Being those sorts of people, in accordance with Grigori policy, they would have naturally been disposed of before they could cause any harm, and yet…….

In gathering them, Kokabiel had organized them for the sake of making use of them rather than disposing of them.

The woman who had been carrying the plush toy, taking a step forward, inquired of Tobio and the others while smiling.

“Hey hey, you guys are also the owners of ancient gears, right?”

In a complete turnaround from the cute smile, she switched to being mean as she continued inquiring.

“——About how many people have you killed so far? Five? Ten? Or is it even higher?”

Responding to those words, the male group also let out ominous chuckles.

Natsume spoke as Gryphon perched on her arm.

“……There’s no reason for something like murder. We’ve only been frantically fighting in order to survive.”

The woman inclined her head at Natsume’s statement.

“……You mean even if it’s in order to survive, it’s not okay to kill people? But, if we don’t kill, won’t it be us who get killed? Ordinary humans, despite being powerless, try to kill us.”

In the middle of saying that, the woman stopped speaking……and her body completely stiffened.

Her head alone was making rapid unnatural movements, and she suddenly shouted.

“I’LL BE KIIIIIIILED!! I’M GOING TO BE KILLED!!! Forgive me, forgive me! I didn’t do anything! I was only just looking!! I was just playing with this child!! Mirei-chan and Yuuri-chan were also just playing because they said they wanted to play with this child is aaaall!! Therefore, forgive meeeee!! I didn’t do anythiiiiing!! That Mirei-chan and Yuuri-chan ended up chopped to bits is something I hate too!!!”

The woman’s eyes became fixed on a specific point as she raised a cryptic shriek.

That became the battle’s starting signal.

The bear plush doll the woman was holding separated from her hands, alit upon the ground on its own, and then grew to a gigantic size.

What appeared before Tobio and the others was a bear plush doll that reached three meters in height.

The plush doll opened its mouth with a ‘gupah’, extended pointed fangs from it, and sharp claws appeared from inside of its fingerless hands.

This woman’s Ancient Gear was an independent avatar type. Its special characteristic was to protect the woman autonomously, but due to her possessing tremendous power from birth, without her control the ancient gear had ended up indiscriminately attacking the people around her.

Furthermore, the claws and tusks were endowed with a deadly poison.

The now gigantic bear plush doll——the Ancient Gear rushed at Tobio and the others. With the Ryoukou students who were there, there were three in possession of ancient gears——but to be perfectly honest, when it came to fighting potential there was only Tobio and Natsume. Shigune was also in possession of sacred gear, but for starters its ability was still unknown and on top of that “Poh-kun” seemed to lack motivation as he was yawning even in this situation.

Tobio and Natsume began employing their alter egos Jin and Gryphon to defend Sae and Shigune.

“Go! Slash!”

“Gryphon, fly!”

At Tobio’s instruction, Jin produced a sword from the shadows, gripped it in his mouth, and was shooting towards the bear plush doll like a bullet.

Gryphon also rose steeply into the evening sky, preparing to dive bomb from high altitude.

However, it wasn’t just the bear plush doll before them that had started to attack.

The man of handsome appearance began breathing in deeply, his abdomen having swelled to a bizarre degree. It seemed as though his abdomen was being filled with something, which he would then forcibly expel from his mouth.

Tobio and the others evaded using the defensive movements from Baraqiel’s training.

BECHAH! ——What the man had spat out had clung to a large tree behind them when they had evaded. When they looked, it was a gelatinous substance, and the smoke rising from the large tree where it clung made it clear that it was melting. Moreover, this gel wriggled as though with a will of its own.

This man’s ancient gear had the ability to bring a highly corrosive slime to life within his abdomen. Moreover it wasn’t just one——.

The man was bringing forth slimes successively, and the unpleasant slimes were crawling to surround Tobio and the others.

That slime, according to what had been written in the materials, as a type that would engage in parasitism towards an opponent, would enter through the mouth, nose, ears, and other orifices and would gradually dissolve the person from the inside.

And then there was the third person. The man with the bandages around his right arm was unwinding the bandages.

As for what was there——it was a strange right on which there existed closely packed mouth-like things covering the entirety.

According to the materials, if one heard the curses let loose from those numerous mouths, they’d receive a curse that would induce extreme variations in their mind and body.

Above all, there was the man in the sunglasses. Just like when he’d attacked them a short time before, he had made two stone statues appear to steal away their eyesight.

All four of them were now being hostile, but it would only be unpleasant for the owners if they were directly bathed in their ability.

Jin, who was complying with Tobio’s lifeforce, performed a single slash with the sword in his mouth towards the bear plush doll’s torso, bestowing a single straight diagonal wound from the tip of its shoulder until the base of its flank.

When the plush doll staggered, Gryphon descended from the sky and scored a direct hit with a ramming attack. The woman’s ancient gear collapsed to the ground.

While the battle had just commenced, Suzaku took a single step forward and inquired of the man vomiting slime creatures and the the man with the ominous mouths covering his right arm.

“There is just a single inquiry I would like to make. ——You all are the low ranking members of the Astra Team, correct?”

The well built man sneered in response to Suzaku’s question.

“……Certainly we might seem like small fry compared to the superior members of the Astra Team, but even so isn’t it sufficient with just us if it’s about to mortally wounded you all?”

In response to the man’s statement, Suzaku let out a breath as though sighing.

“As expected, you really are low ranked members. After all, while opposing me and a Longinus your speaking in such a manner. ……I wonder if Kokabiel is currently taking a wait-and-see approach. Well, no matter.”

It happened in an instant——. The aura of flame covering her swelled to a tremendous degree, imposing high temperatures on the entire area. The temperature reached a degree where one would suffer injury just from breathing——.

Forming flickering flames in her right hand, she directed her sights towards the group of slimes that were surrounding them.

“To start with——“

She slashed horizontally with her arm while the flames were dwelling in her hand, and instantly the group of slimes was assaulted by an extensive blaze.

“Let us erase those smelly things.”

There had been a group of at least ten slimes, but they were instantly reduced to dust by Suzaku’s flames.

Furthermore, turning to the man vomiting slimes, Suzaku held her right hand in the shape of a gun and performed a shooting action.

With a ‘Booh!’ sound——a pillar of flame rose from the man’s mouth.

“Gaah!”

The man raised a shriek. It seemed that flames had been fired at the same moment that Suzaku had made a gun shooting action.

Having lost consciousness, the man fell prostrate on the ground.

“I shall put a lid on that while I’m at it.”

The shooting incident had occurred in such a brief instant that it couldn’t be followed.

Next Suzaku turned towards the enormous bear plush doll that seemed to be getting to its feet..

“Next——“

Raising the palm of her right hand, Suzaku manifested flames there which began to take the shape of something.

Above her palm, the flames formed into the shape of a small bird.

Suzaku released this, at which point it charged directly at the bear plush doll. The small bird of flames crashed into the bear plush doll’s guts, boring a large hole into it.

With the small bird having penetrated its abdomen——flames instantly flared up from inside of the bear plush doll, and its large build was covered by the fire.

“M-My ancient geeeeEEEARRR!”

With her ancient gear seeming to have hit its limits by being engulfed in flame, the woman raised a shriek.

Strangely, the flames manipulated by Suzaku didn’t burn the surrounding vegetation. Most likely, she was capable of regulating them.

With her ancient gear having been burned the woman leapt at Suzaku in a fit of rage and began attacking her with Taijou. Perhaps having also learned technical skills with the Grigori, the woman was someone familiar with Taisabaki.

Highly accurate palm strikes, magnificent spinning kicks, she moved with those movements that driven people away time and again.

However, since Suzaku was also learned in the arts of unarmed combat, she nimbly evaded all of the woman’s attacks.

By shifting her upper body——the opponent’s attacks would go sweeping past, and seeing an opening she struck with her feet to sent the woman to the ground.

Suzaku spoke to the floored woman.

“My power, it has the ability to easily burn you if I wanted to. If I get serious, then I’m sorry.”

As Suzaku said this, she delivered a palm heel strike into the tip of collapsed woman’s chin, at which point she lost consciousness.

Suzaku immediately turned her gaze upon another one. The one there was the man with mouth-like things manifested close together along his right arm.

The countless mouths present on his right arm, having started to open, were all muttering something. Letting out curses, they were trying to place a curse on them.

Suzaku asked Natsume.

“That falcon……Minagawa-san! That person’s arm, can you remove it?”

To Suzaku’s audacious question, Natsume focused her attention on the man.

“R-Remove it, but……!”

Natsume timidly spoke such words after gulping.

Suzaku, having immediately made a decision when faced with Natsume’s resolution, this time inquired of Tobio.

“——Tobio. Can you remove it?”

Tobio, without any delay in his response, issued an order to Jin.

“JIN! SLASH!”

With a sword held in his mouth, Jin rushed towards the man at high speeds.

“Kuh! Don’t make light of me! I’ll curse even your dog!”

The man oriented his arm towards Jin. ——But, Jin vanished from the man’s sight, and by hiding under the cover of the trees, he advanced from his blind spot.

“Wha! So fast!”

Unable to react to Jin’s movements, it the man who weakened the force of the curses——and the black dog rushed in from behind him.

Mercilessly, Jin lopped off the man’s right arm.

“GAAAAAAAAAAAH! My arm is AAAAAH!”

Having lost his right arm, the man collapsed on the spot, writhing in pain.

With the arm of curses having been contained, it was Tobio who let out a momentary sigh of relief but——.

The aforementioned stone statues that stole one’s eyesight had shortened their distance with Sae.

Sae had not realized the stone statue’s approach——.

Tobio immediately rushed in at that very moment! He couldn’t afford to let his important Sae be struck by that guy’s technique!

The sunglasses man shouted as he showed an ugly smile on his face.

“It’s an openiiIIIING! Since a short time ago, you’ve been seriously protecting this female! So then let’s snatch away her eyesight shall weeeEEEE!”

Light shone from the stone statue——.

“SAE!”

Tobio stood in front of Sae to serve as her shield.

A dazzling light enveloped the vicinity!

The sunglasses man raised a mighty laugh with an insane voice.

“Ah haaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahah! It covered you directly! Take that take thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat! Are you no longer able to see!? Can you no see anything!? Come come come come come, tell your impressions to meeeEEEEEE! Tell me your impressions about losing the ability to see——wait! Huh?”

The sunglasses man, who had been dancing for joy, finally collected himself.

Tobio’s eyesight——hadn’t been weakened. The man on the other hand, having noticed an abnormality in himself, covered his face with his hands.

He waved his hand before his eyes numerous times.

“Huh? Huh huh huh huh, huuuuUUUUUuuuuuh! WHY!? Why was I the one who lost the ability to seeeee!? I CAN’T SEE! HOW IS IT THAT I CANNOT SEE!? You’re fucking kidding meeeeeEEEEEEE!!!”

The man, who possessed the ability to steal one’s eyesight, had conversely lost to his own light.

The man shouted upon confirming that the sunglasses no longer covered his eyes.

“Y-YoOOOOOOU! You stole my sunglasses!?”

As the man had said, Tobio was wearing the sunglasses that had been his opponent’s.

At that instant, Natsume had quickly launched Gryphon, who had snatched the man’s sunglasses. Immediately after they were stolen, Tobio, who had received the sunglasses from Gryphon, covered his own eyes.

Immediately after the previous battle, they’d received a second explanation from Baraqiel about the sunglasses man’s ability, and the specially darkened glasses he wore over his eyes.

Since the man’s ability could befall even himself, he couldn’t use his ability unless he wore darkened glasses developed by the Grigori.

Having known that Tobio and Natsume stole the sunglasses from the man in the instant he took action. It was a coordinated effort without prior arrangement, but both of them gave each other a thumbs up at how smoothly it had gone.

It was a result of them having fought together up until now, as well as Baraqiel’s training bearing fruit.

Tobio quickly destroyed the stone statue with the sickle in his hand, after which he turned upon the man once more.

“Shall I tell you my present thoughts?”

The man who had his eyesight stolen, his body staggering, ended up slamming his back into a large tree behind him.

“This is bullshiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTT!”

Towards the screaming man, Tobio swung his scythe downwards——such a thing was unnecessary, instead he instead thrust the butt end portion into the opponent’s abdomen like it was a spear.

“……GAH!”

With the impact of being nearly skewered, the man lost consciousness on the spot, and ended up collapsing on the ground.

With all four Astra Team members including the sunglasses man having been defeated, the animosity drifting through the area instantly vanished.

At last Tobio and the others could take a break.

Sae grabbed Tobio’s face with both hands, making a concerned inquiry.

“……Tobio, your eyes……”

“I’m alright. Gryphon brought theses sunglasses just in time.”

Tobio was showing a smile while still wearing the sunglasses, and Sae——perhaps feeling relieved, just burst into tears.

“……Stupid……stupid Tobio……!”

In protecting her, it seemed he had thought he would have his eyesight stolen. Removing the sunglasses, Tobio clasped Sae’s hand.

“……I’ll protect Sae. No matter what that entails.”

Nonetheless, faced with an opponent with an intention to kill……at the final moment he hadn’t killed him.

If it was a monster employed by a supernatural ability user——such as the Utsusemi of the ‘Four Fiends and Friends Project, even Tobio would kill without hesitation.

However, even if it was a supernatural ability user, nevertheless, when it came to slaying humans……there was still hesitation.

There was seemingly no mistake that his consciousness had been modified when he had killed Himejima Hanezu……but even so…….

Natsume cleared her throat and spoke.

“……I apologize for breaking up the good atmosphere, but……”

Tobio and Sae, who had been presently holding hands, suddenly realized and separated their hands.

“”Ah! S-Sorry……””

They both simultaneously apologized to Natsume.

——And, with the Astra Team members having all been defeated, Tobio and the others realized their next move.

Natsume spoke to Suzaku.

“Err, Himejima Suzaku……san, thank you. You saved us. Or perhaps I should say, you practically finished them off……”

“No, it was no problem. I do not believe that even this is more than a partial compensation for all the trouble the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ put you through.”

“However, to be able to inflict instant death on such troublesome opponents, as expected, the next family head of the Five Principal Clans is on a different level.”

Natsume said this as she passed her gaze over the people of the Astra Team that Suzaku had brought down on her own.

While folding her arms, Suzaku smiled bitterly.

“Though I have certainly been training……they were not that supernaturally powerful. Just now, they told me that they were the low ranking members within the team. Though they were a threat to ordinary humans, anyone with a certain degree of experience with supernatural powers could have dealt with them. Their team composition was of the so called ‘kill on first sight’ variety. To have attacked with such a number of forces, it can be easily understood from that they had divided their forces. They were personnel intended to test our skills and abilities.”

Shizuka spoke with a calm expression.

“……The truly troublesome members are still being kept in reserve. With this method, the supernatural power users coming to arrest us are of an unknown level.”

……Indeed, having finished reading the documents, there were several members of the Astra Team who Tobio and the others were extremely wary of.

Their powers——were ones for which the level of danger far exceeded that of the ones they were presently keeping company.

Consequently, they had resolved themselves to a certain degree on the way here…….

Noticing something, Natsume was glancing around the nearby area.

“S-Say, weren’t there two stone statues the snatch away eyesight!? Where’s the other one!?”

——!

At that single statement, Tobio and the others again raised their guards and turned their attention to the surroundings……. The stone statue did not appear at all.

With the man having collapsed, could it have disappeared perhaps……?

In that situation, Shigune timidly raised her hand.

“……S-Say. About that stone statue……”

Shigune was pointing towards her own feet.

Down there was Shigune’s Ancient Gear——Poh-kun, who might have been cruchily eating something.

At a closer glance, what Poh-kun was eating was——the aforementioned second statue that steals eyesight.

He had already consumed more than half of the stone statue, and yet he was continuing to munch on it without any cessation in his appetite.

Shigune spoke.

“……This child will eat anything you see. Naturally this includes human beings, and he can even eat things like techniques or spells used by opponents such as this. What was it……a form of divination? What the people of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ were using, whether they were dolls made of paper or dolls made of soil, he just ate them entirely.”

He just ate them entirely——.

The reason Shigune had been quiet so far, it seemed it wasn’t just because Koga was present.

Natsume then asked.

“I had been wondering about it all along but, to have been safe against an enemy who fights by snatching away one’s eyesight, that was thanks to this child?”

Tobio had also had doubts. Shigune hadn’t had her eyesight stolen, since after all she had been aware that the sunglasses man was using two stone statues.

Shigune spoke.

“……I don’t quite get it, but Poh-kun was somehow able to defend against the light like a shield. However, based on how it appeared……could he have been was eating the light entirely……or something?”

Eating the light——. Rather than light itself, it was more like he protected her by eating the Ancient Gear’s ability…….

This masked creature of a Ancient Gear did all of that…….

There were many more questions about Shigune’s Ancient Gear……however, Natsume clapped her hands sharply and spoke.

“We’re not pursuing Lavinia!”

Indeed, that had been their original goal.

“Get going. I will take custody of the. You mustn’t leave the Ice Princess and the Witch of the East alone together.”

……Tobio wondered just how the Grigori would respond as a consequence of handing the defeated members of the Astra Team over to someone from the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families……but more important right now was ensuring the safety of their companion.

Tobio exchanged nods with Natsume, Sae, and Shigune, and temporarily entrusting the present location to Suzaku, they once again chased after Lavinia——.

Part 2
Tobio and the others had resumed their pursuit of Lavinia.

Having memorized Lavinia's scent, Jin was dashing straight towards her position.

As they advanced, Tobio gradually became aware of a peculiarity in the outdoor atmosphere. There was alternating, or possibly simultaneous, blasts of cold air and mild heat waves.

The further they advanced, the stronger it became.

They immediately understood.

Lavinia's ice and Augusta’s flames were disrupting the atmospheric temperature on this part of the mountain.

As they ran they could see traces of magic and supernatural power amidst the many trees, the ground, the boulders, and the like.

——The trees had been felled or gouged out, completely changing the appearance of the forest.

The trees had been either burned to a crisp, or else had been encased in ice. The were places where the ground had been frozen over, and places where it had been gouged out, and there was also smoking vegetation where the fires could not be completely extinguished.

Even from in front of them the clamorous sounds of battle could be heard. It seemed that Lavinia was close.

Sprinting, Tobio and the others finally emerged from the forest——and there was a river of bare rocks.

Lavinia and Augusta were standing confronting one another by the river. Both of them had several magic circles deployed in front of them and were glaring at the other.

Next to each of them respectively, there stood a child of nobility crafted from ice and a giant priest cultivated from flames. They were their respective Ancient gears——their Longinus.

Lavinia manifested countless spears of ice from the numerous magic circles and fired them at Augusta. Augusta also fired enormous flames from her magic circles, which served to offset Lavinia's ice magic.

The pair’s powerful magics collided with one another, the ice being melted by the flames, the fire being extinguished by the ice, all leading to a powerful wind that blew violently.

Beside them, the flame priest which was holding a cross swung it with great vigor. From the cross that was swung, white flames on a fierce scale sprung forth, which rushed towards Lavinia's ice princess.

The ice princess crossed its four arms, and multiple layers of ice pillars grew from out of surface of the bare rocks and orientated on the giant.

The white flames and ice pillars collided, creating a grand explosion.

A flashy magic battle was unfolding right before the eyes of Tobio and the others.

Tobio and the other gulped.

Just from the present battle, they understood that it was a struggle between two people that had exceeded both their imaginations and abilities.

The magic of those two belonged to a domain far above their own world——.

If Jin or Gryphon were to rush in, they might be burned by those powerful flames, or if conversely they captured, they would end up being a hinderence to Lavinia.

They should have come to help, but the situation was such that they couldn’t rush in carelessly.

——Perhaps, if I were to demonstrate the power from the time I overthrew Himejima Hanezu…….

Tobio considered this, but the unrestrained power would simultaneously means that he’d end up killing his companions as well.

In regards to how, just before, Natsume hadn’t removed the arm from the man who bore the right arm of curses, the cause of this was how, when Gryphon had transformed during the battle with the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, he had cut off the arm of Doumon Kazuhisa.

Based on appearances, she had ended up developing something like trauma from that, and now couldn’t bring herself to use showy attacks against a human opponent.

……Natsume and I are both high school students. We’re fully aware that our readiness under such circumstances is like that of children.

However, the witch girl before his eyes, who was of the same age, was continuing to fire off magic with the power to freeze her opponent.

It was a certain kind of readiness——. That was what he perceived within Lavinia, Asriel and Vali.

Those three, who had gone through similar environments, had perhaps reached similar resolutions——.

Lavinia and Augusta were continuing their magical battle with one another.

From the magic circles the pair of them manifested came, not just fire and ice, but also squalls, lightning strikes, countless arrows of light, deep black balls of darkness, and frequent paranormal phenomenon that Tobio hadn’t seen before were all unfolding before their eyes.

Each and every one of these blows raised columns of water countless times from the river, destroying the rocky shore.

The boldly smiling Augusta, and Lavinia whose expression never loosened.

——And then, the pair took notice of them at roughly the same time.

Augusta spoke.

“Oh my, it seems that Kokabiel has finished with his business huh. Moreover, it looks as though his proteges were defeated.”

Natsume yelled.

“Lavinia! We’ve come now, so don’t worry!”

With her companions’ arrival Lavinia finally loosened her cheeks.

Seeing that, Augusta sneered.

“Hey Ojou-chan from just now, if you intrude into a battle between fellow Longinus, it’ll end with you dying in the aftermath of my and the Ice Princess’s magic.”

At that statement from the elderly witch, Natsume resentfully said, “What was that!”

Augusta then directed her gaze at Tobio——and at Shigune who was holding “Poh-kun”.

“……Well, it would appear that I shouldn’t show that dog or Toutetsu any openings though.”

——And then, Augusta turned her eyes upon Sae next.

“……The black lion test subject huh. Seems that she were safe then. ……Oh? You can’t bring it out ? That is certainly unexpected. That fallen angel governor-general, could he have possibly done something?”

…….

……Augusta said something disturbing. Sae, as part of an experiment by the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, had been forced to bear an artificial Ancient Gear——an independent avatar type black lion.

Tobio didn’t remember it well, but he’d heard that, as a result of Tobio reaching Overdrive, that it had been torn to pieces——that should be how it was but…….

Lavinia asked of Augusta.

“……By black lion test subject, you mean that thing from Oz? Governor-general Azazel is currently in the middle of analyzing it. I would like it if you didn’t say thing that will cause Toby and Shaae anxiety.”

Somehow of another, Lavinia seemed to know the condition of the lion that had been dwelling inside of Sae but…….

Augusta displayed an obscene smile.

“That’s the one, though that was something that we provided to Kokabiel and the ‘Utsusemi Agency’. Glenda’s research was incredibly useful huh. See, it’s all because Glenda was looking after the ice princess ojou-chan.”

“So you forcibly snatched information on my Ancient Gear from Oshishou-sama.”

Hearing this statement, Augusta——let out a meaningful laugh.

“Kukukuh……”

Smiling an extremely ugly smile, Augusta made a statement.

“That’s wrong. That’s completely wrong. It was offered to us by Glenda. All about the power of your independent avatar type that is.”

——.

……They were offered information on Lavinia's own abilities by Glenda, in other words, from Lavinia's master……?

Even more doubtful of what she was hearing than Tobio and the others, Lavinia returned a question with a perplexed expression.

“……What are you saying……?”

Augusta, her smile becoming even more detestable, joyfully explained.

This was her devastating confession.

“Oh dear. Unexpectedly, you’re a child who struggles to comprehend. Well then, allow me to explain it clearly. ——Glenda is a witch on our side. She has been from the start. Good witch? Bad witch? That is a self-centered scale from information transmitted by people on our side. At the time, it was because there was a terrible factional dispute in the world of Oz between north, south, east, and west. Well, the magicians of ‘The Country of Oz’, from the beginning, weren’t interested in anything beyond the boosting their own magic.”

For an instant, Lavinia stiffened as though time had come to a stop.

A brief silence fell over the area but…….

Lavinia squeezed out a shaky voice.

“……………………A lie. THAT’S A LIE!!!”

In response to her empathic tone, Augusta continued while smiling scornfully.

“It’s not a lie. In that case, how about this?”

The old witch raised her palm, forming a small magic circle.

Augusta addressed what seemed likely to be a communication type magic circle.

“Can you hear me, Glenda?”

After a beat, the voice of an aged woman was heard through the magic circle.

‘……For you to suddenly contact me, I wonder if something has happened, Augusta.’

Hearing that voice, Lavinia's eyes widened.

From her reaction, it seemed that the voice was familiar to her.

Augusta cheerfully spoke to the person on the other end of the communication type magic circle.

“Right now, I was just fighting your disciple the Ice Princess. How about you let her hear your voice. Hasn’t she been desperately searching for you?”

In response to Augusta’s words, the woman, who appeared to be Lavinia's master, replied as follows.

‘…………There’s nothing to discuss.’

The tone was one of blunt refusal.

“——!”

Lavinia was left speechless by this response, and her entire body was trembling.

Completely enjoying Lavinia's reaction, Augusta let out a laugh.

“Kakakah! How cold! Wasn’t there a time when you more or less loved this girl as a daughter? And yet your fine saying something like that! How heartless!”

‘…………’

In response to Augusta’s statement, the magic circle that appeared to be in communication with Glenda was silent just for a moment.

And then, she addressed her pupil.

‘——Lavinia.”

That was——for her pupil Lavinia who had been searching after her master’s welfare, a reply that could be said to be regretful.

‘I’ll say it once more. ——What I have to say to you, is nothing.’

Thereupon the communication ended, and the magic circle disappeared.

The excessive events left even Tobio and the others at a loss for words.

As for Lavinia herself——.

“……………………”

Dropping her wand, her arms hung languidly, and with her gaze becoming unfocussed, her expression was enveloped by an atypical lack of composure.

Even the Ice Princess standing beside her had ceased its offensive posture.

Completely trifling with her ability, the truth that her patron, who when she had lost her relatives had showed her kindness and offered her hope, had been one of those conspiring with the enemy she was pursuing, this truth was surely something she couldn’t come to grips with.

It would not have been strange even if she believed that it wasn’t real.

Somehow opening her shivering lips, Lavinia——.

“……N-No way.”

In a voice that was unimaginable for her normally, from deep within her body, from the bottom of her heart, she screamed.

“I DO NOT BELIEVE IT!!! I don’t, I don’t believe it……!!”

Lavinia staggered. Her legs had no doubt become unsteady from the considerable shock.

Her heart and body ‘s condition had been completely shaken.

However, they was still a battle in progress.

Tobio and Natsume met each other’s eyes. The pair of them, having agreed to help Lavinia, nodded to each other in silence.

Tobio and Natsume rushed in at that moment, their aim being Lavinia's rescue.

Augusta let loose a dangerous magic circle from her hand, and a black magic circle with an ominous pattern began to unfold.

“You’ve lost your senses then. Now!”

In an instant, an enormous black magic circle began to develop around the defenseless Lavinia. Bizarre magical power overflowed from it, and began covering Lavinia starting from her toes.

Without time to resist, Lavinia was enveloped by deep black magic power.

Just as her entire body was dyed black, there was also a change that befell Augusta.

The body of the old witch was shining, having turned into an orb of of light. this orb of light flew at great speed towards Lavinia who had turned black, and finally collided with her.

The orb of light went inside of Lavinia who had become jet black.

At which point, the magic circle vanished, and the jet black magic also died out as Lavinia collapsed to the ground.

What remained was——just Lavinia.

Watching this series of events, Natsume raised a voice of confusion.

“——! What just happened!?”

A short moment later, Lavinia regained her posture, her face lowered, and let out an ominous laugh.

‘Ahahah!’

For the usual her, a loud laugh of such a volume was unthinkable.

Lavinia turned her face to them. Her pointed gaze was filled with hostility.

She then stated the following.

‘Too bad. I have taken this miss’s body. Now then, how should we do this?’

‘——!?’

Lavinia expression was so much like Augusta’s that Tobio and the others were shocked.

The aura drifting from her had also become that of Augusta!

——Could Augusta have hijacked her body!?

The ominous magic from just a moment ago, it was something intended to hijack Lavinia's body…….

Though they somehow understood the circumstances, it was nevertheless surprising that the Lavinia before them had had her consciousness stolen by the old witch from Oz she’d been at odds with, and Tobio and the others were racking their brains over how to respond.

Lavinia——Augusta, paying no mind to how much confusion and the like they were feeling, was issuing instructions to the Ice Princess that was beside her and——wasn’t that independent avatar type made from ice pointing its four arms towards them!

Moreover, even the white flame priest that Augusta had controlled had started to take a offensive posture towards them!

Augusta, bringing Longinus of ice and flame that were their respective other selves to their feet, laughed fearlessly.

‘Are you able to oppose two kinds of Longinus? Well black dog and Four Fiend young ladies?’

The Ice Princess produced a mass of ice in its hand, and the purple flame giant raised its cross up high.

In this situation, they’d end up sustaining simultaneous attacks from the Longinus of ice and flame.

Tobio had raised his guard, but then Natsume grabbed his arm.

“——Let’s withdraw temporarily.”

Natsume had just proposed that they abandon Lavinia in this situation.

Tobio’s expression became severe.

“B-But! To leave in this situation——“

He had spoken to that point, but then Tobio noticed how Natsume was biting her lip.

Even for her, this was a mortifying last minute decision.

In any case, at the moment they couldn’t think of a way to save the captured Lavinia.

“~!!!”

Tobio made an anguished expression, and couldn’t help but to let out a sound as he gripped his fist tightly in frustration.

And then, Tobio took Sae’s hand, Natsume grabbed Shigune’s hand, and they sought refuge from that place.

‘Running away are you! Ahahahah!’

From behind they heard the loud laugh of Augusta who had entered Lavinia.

It had ended in the worst possible outcome——.

Part 1
The quartet of Tobio, Natsume, Sae, and Shigune, while putting some distance between themselves and Lavinia whose body was stolen by Augusta, met up with the quintet of Damian, Samejima, Vali, Lily, and Koga as they were running along the mountainside.

It would appear that they had also repelled the assassins.

Having met up, Tobio and the others were reporting on their encounter with Kokabiel, as well as the situation with Lavinia——.

His expression doing a complete turnaround, Vali approached Tobio in a rage.

“And then you just ran away!? Without rescuing Lavinia! Kuh!”

For the boy, who only ever showed a cool expression, to become emotional just as Lavinia's situation was conveyed, even Tobio and the others were surprised.

Vali ran off in the direction that Tobio and the others had just come from.

Natsume restrained him by pulling on his arm.

“Hold it, Vali! Where are you going!?”

“I’ll save Lavinia even if I have to do it alone!”

Shaking off Natsume’s hand, the boy was just about to turn around——.

‘Knock it off, Vali. The opponent has two varieties of Longinus. That’s a lot to bear even for the current you.’

Albion’s voice emerged from the dragon puppet placed on Vali’s shoulder.

Vali shouted at Albion.

“If it gets to that point, the armor will be sufficient!”

‘That is not yet in its completed form. Above all else, for that small body that cannot bear my power as the Hakuryuukou, it would put your life in danger.’

At this statement from the dragon residing within his body, Vali, his hands trembling in frustration, spat out his next words.

“……In any case, it’s a life that was already abandoned once!”

At that point, the voice of a third party emerged.

‘Now now, don’t be saying that, Vali.’

This time the voice heard from the dragon doll that was placed on his shoulder was that of Azazel.

“——Azazel!”

“Governor-General!”

Vali and Natsume looked at the doll.

Azazel spoke.

‘I wasn’t late making contact, right. I received a rough report from Baraqiel. ——Well then, what’s the present situation?’

Tobio and the others described Lavinia's situation in detail.

Azazel fell quiet for a moment to ponder and…….

‘……I see, those troublesome Oz. Their aim from the start was Lavinia herself huh. From the beginning, it was just about cornering that girl’s spirit so they could control her. However, to use Lavinia's own master like that……’

Tobio voiced his frustration.

“……It was our fault. Even though we had assumed it was a trap……”

Tobio and everyone had considered that it might be a trap. Despite that they had been attacked during a momentary opening.

It wasn’t just Tobio, Natsume was also showing a distraught expression due to feeling responsible.

Tobio gave voice to her regrets.

Samejima was also folding his arms with a bitter expression.

Everyone there was bitterly coming to grips with their own respective responsibility.

Azazel gave a snort of laughter.

‘……Geez, even though not much time has passed since you guys all met, you have feelings of companionship. Surely it was because of this that the plans of the “Utsusemi Agency” were demolished but……. In any case, if Augusta were to get serious, at present there’s no one capable of dealing with her other than Lavinia. Besides, it can be assumed that those guys had countermeasures for several tactics. ——You guys are still inexperienced after all.’

Nobody had a reply to that statement.

Natsume inquired of Azazel.

“Governor-General, is there a way to save Lavinia?”

Even Vali inquired at this point.

“Azazel! How do we do it!”

‘Calm down, Vali.’

Azazel warned the impatient Vali by speaking so.

And then, Azazel spoke.

‘It isn’t impossible. It should be possible with the tactics you’ve been rehearsing and practicing.’

‘——!’

Everyone, with the exception of Koga, was hanging on Azazel’s every word.

Azazel continued.

‘If it’s Tobio’s power, it should be possible to sever that Oz hag from Lavinia. That is the characteristic of your ancient gear after all.’

Tobio gulped as he spoke.

“……I can’t just cut her with my……with Jin’s sword. If I cut her like that I’ll end up killing both Lavinia and Augusta.”

‘Not at all, your blade isn’t just a technique for cutting every object. It’s a special blade capable of cutting down even concepts, like techniques or magic. At any rate, it is a ancient gear that professes to cut down even gods.’

——Cutting down even concepts, like techniques or magic.

Azazel continued speaking.

‘Think, pray, the ancient gear is a superpower that draws power from the owner’s thoughts and desires. Naturally, this case is a befitting situation. You must also agree to have suitable resolution.’

“……Resolution?”

Azazel spoke clearly.

‘——Overdrive. You must temporarily unleash the prohibited move you have carried since you were born. You should have been given the necessary item just in case.’

Tobio took a piece of equipment out of his breast pocket where he’d been carrying it since coming here.

——It was a five strings prayer beads.

Those were something that Azazel and the other Grigori had manufactured based on the prayer beads Tobio’s grandmother had refined using Juhou in order to seal her grandchild’s Overdrive.

Azazel spoke.

‘Those prayer beads are something that suppress your grandmother’s technique. Each one will allow you to retain your sanity for a maximum of ten second. ——But, do remember that they’re only at the experimental level. There may be unexpected occurrences, or there may be side effects that emerge after using Overdrive. ——Will you use them?’

To Azazel’s query, Tobio——.

“I’ll use them. I’ll save Lavinia-san while using my Overdrive. And then at last we can safely return.”

It was a prompt decision. There was no hesitation.

Azazel spoke to Sae.

‘Tomoe Sae, most likely, the one who holds the key to success is you. If your childhood friend loses his senses, keep calling out to him.’

“W-Will that be good enough?”

To the reserved Sae’s question, Azazel laughed.

‘Yeah, that’s something that’s surprisingly important.’

Azazel then spoke to Vali.

‘……Vali, will you do it? With how unstable Tobio’s power is, the likelihood of failure is high. Your power will also be necessary.’

“Albion tells me that my power is also unstable. You do remember that as well don’t you?”

‘Nevertheless, will you try?’

“——Just don’t be regretting it. I’ll show you how I use it.”

Vali’s expression embodied the strength of his determination.

Azazel then spoke to each of the Four Fiends and Friends.

‘For Minagawa Natsume, Samejima Kouki and Damian Hoffman, it seems that it goes without saying but……for the newly arrived Nanadaru Shigune, Shiranui Lily and Koga Hyousuke, what will you guys do?’

In this situation, since they still couldn’t have the assistance of the entire organization, it was an inquiry as to whether the trio of Shigune, Shiranui and Koga would try to save a girl they’d only just met.

As for Shigune——.

“……Though I don’t really get it, if it’s the friend of a classmate, I’ll help to save her!”

While her shivering body was embracing “Poh-kun”, she replied as such.

Shiranui spoke as she put on a smile and determined expression.

“My answer is the same as Shigune-chan's!”

Koga spoke while crossing his arms.

“Well, I have boarded the ship. Might as well ride it all the way.”

In response to his brief reply, Azazel gave Koga and Shiranui a warning.

“……It seems that you two, Koga Hyousuke and Shiranui Lily, both received something from Kokabiel, but it isn’t good to use that power too much. Most likely, it will result in nothing good, right?”

It seemed that Azazel had been told about that transformation and abilities of Koga’s and Shiranui's.

Koga shrugged.

“Except for guys who are hostile to me, I don’t use that power all that power. However, since it’s power obtained at great cost, I don’t know to what extent I can use it. It is mainly for ‘The Four Divine Beasts, Four Demonic Beasts and the ‘ for which my curiosity overflows.”

At Koga’s statement, Azazel said, “This is quite troublesome,” in a surprised voice.

Tobio……could not surmise Koga’s true intentions, but given the degree to which he had slaughtered the those people from the remnants of the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, he had been carrying a sense of vigilance towards him.

Azazel had inquired about the intentions of everyone there.

A sudden chill then drifted up to them. Everyone’s gaze gathered in one direction.

……It seemed that the Augusta hijacked Lavinia was approaching.

Sae held out her palm, and what alighted upon it was white——snow. She gazed up at the sky suspiciously.

“……Snow?”

It gradually gained strength until finally——it turned into an out of season snowfall.

Azazel spoke.

‘……Snow huh. If Lavinia's ancient gear were to raise its ability, it’s possible to generate snowstorms by means of abnormal weather……and can even create blizzards.’

To be able to even rewrite the weather, Tobio and the others were once again reminded of the menace posed by the special characteristic of Lavinia's ancient gear——of a Longinus.

Thereafter, Tobio and the others listened to a detailed coping strategy from Azazel.

Azazel then stated this in conclussion.

‘After I’ve gotten in touch with Baraqiel, we’ll coordinate to get their as soon as we can. Geez, for the Governor-General himself to make an appearance is quite risky though huh. It’s in front Mephisto and Aria even. At any rate, you guys!’

Azazel spoke to everyone.

‘Don’t die okay? There’s still so much more to teach you after all. Bring back Lavinia!’

‘YEAH!’

Everyone yelled with only a single thought in mind.

The Lavinia rescue operation had commenced——.

Part 2
The snowstorm, being completely out of season, was steadily increasing, and in the process snow was accumulating throughout the area.

The snow had already accumulated to the point that their feet were leaving footprints as they walked.

Tobio and the others, so as to prevent Lavinia who’d been hijacked by Augusta going as far as the village, had been lying in wait for her on the side of the mountain near the village——on the bank of a large pond.

It was precisely halfway between the place where Lavinia had just been fighting and the place where the companions had joined up.

It was easy to see why they’d agreed upon the vicinity of the pond as a battlefield.

On the bank of the pond——the situation in all directions could be spied upon while remaining hidden behind cover. They were waiting for Lavinia to appear.

However, even as they remained there the temperature was steadily dropping, such that their breath was white and their bodies wouldn’t stop shivering.

It was only natural, but at the time they came here from their base at the the mansion, they hadn’t given the slightest thought to preparing cold weather contingencies.

A short while later, from the midst of the snow, they caught sight of a figure on the opposite bank of the pond. It was a girl in a white robe——Lavinia.

For the start of the first part of their strategy, the quadrio of Natsume, Damian, Samejima, and Koga would concentrate their attentions on Lavinia——on Augusta.

Natsume, Damian and company jumped out from behind cover.

Their opponent had also confirmed their movements, but as she took a single step forward……. Having reached the bank of the pond, she continued to set foot towards the pond without stopping her advance. Just like that she took another step——.

However, her feet did not sink into the pond. It was because the pond had turned to ice. Augusta slowly advanced across the frozen pond step by step.

‘Oh dear, four of the Four Fiends and Friends children.’

Augusta looked around in apparent amusement.

‘So the dog and white dragon aren’t here then. Could they be laying some kind of hidden trap?’

Augusta was showing a fearless smile.

An aura of ice was gathered behind her, which formed into something.

It was forming arms, a head, and a dress.

When they saw what manifested behind Augusta, everyone’s breath caught.

——Because a giant princess of ice that was some ten-odd meters tall had appeared!

What Lavinia had employed had only been three meters in height. They couldn’t help but to be shocked by what was about four times the size of the ice ancient gear.

Could the size really change this much just by having someone else wielding it? Or else had the normal Lavinia been suppressing its power?

She had said that she couldn’t control the Longinus’s power but…….

Augusta held her staff forward and numerous magic circles expanded in front of her.

‘Now then, who will be my first opponent?’

The witch’s magic power swelled and magic of various attributes was fired from the magic circles!

“Gryphon!”

“Burn you witch!”

“Let’s go, you shithead!!”

Natsume launched Gryphon into the sky as Damian would use Esther to fire an onslaught of flames and Samejima wound Byakusa’s lance-like tail around his arm.

Countless ice arrows and fireballs made from magic rushed towards Gryphon who was flying through the sky. Gryphon avoided them all.

Being assailed by a magical lightning barrage, Samejima was offsetting it using Byakusa’s tail lance that had been enveloped in electricity, but the force of the magic was tremendous, to the point that each shot he took ended up driving him backwards.

Koga, quickly manipulating the gauntlet equipped on his right arm, activated the previous state together with his own ancient gear——Blitz.

“——Balance break.”

‘Si-xiong Húndùn Over Booster!!!!’

A deep black aura spread together with that voice, transforming his appearance into that of a powered suit.

——But, Tobio did not overlook how, just as Koga took this form, he staggered ever so slightly for just a moment. ……Could that be a negative tendency that arises due to the transformation?

As he was worrying about such things, Koga, who had immediately recovered his posture, stood in front of Natsume and, using the hardened elongated hair growing from his head, struck down any magic that approached her.

Koga spoke.

“Minagawa, I’ll go in front. Since you’re flesh and blood, you’d turn to ash if you were hit with a single attack, right?”

“Thanks! However, it can’t be helped! My Gryphon still cannot be transformed easily after all!”

Natsume replied as such to Koga’s frank advice.

In the battle with the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, Natsume’s Gryphon, Damian's Esther and Samejima’s Byakusa had transformed into the forms of monsters, but there was no sign of that under the circumstances.

The hardened hair growing from Koga’s head bunched up on its own accord, producing things similar to whips. With those, he was sweeping aside both the magic Augusta fired and the ice attacks of the giant Ice Princess that was standing behind the witch.

Koga spoke while smashing the opponent’s attacks.

“I see. Well then, how about this?”

The head whip-like things that Koga had produced quickly stretched towards Gryphon who was in flight, Esther who was around Damian on the ground and Byakusa who was on Samejima’s shoulder.

The whips wrapped around Gryphon, Esther and Byakusa.

The instant everyone wondered ‘what’, Koga’s powered suit glowed, some kind of energy gathered in the head which then traveled along the whips and flowed into Gryphon, Esther and Byakusa who’d been entwined by them.

Gryphon, Esther and Byakusa began to glow in the same manner as Koga——.

Simultaneously, Natsume, Damain and Samejima’s bodies seemed to visibly pulse.

In an instant, the luminescence of Gryphon, Esther and Byakusa swelled further, casting a bright flash through the surrounding area.

……When the brilliance stopped, a giant four legged beast resembling the monster griffon with two pairs of wings growing from its back was flying in the air. Next to Damian as well, a large white raptor larger then all of them with a large, protruding mouth with small flames releasing from it, and Samejima as well, possessing multiple long tails, there stood a giant white beast possessing protruding tusks like those of a saber tooth tiger.

——Gryphon, Esther and Byakusa had transformed into giant beasts.

At this Augusta groaned.

‘Oho, they’ve turned into the original forms of the Four Fiends and Friends. It seems that the power of the artificial Overdrive bestowed by Kokabiel compelled them to assume those forms.’

Koga separated his whip-like hair from Gryphon, Esther and Byakusa and shrugged.

“I shared the excess power I cannot control with them. Well, this should improve things for at least a little while.”

As he spoke, he fired the hair that had taken the form of whips towards Augusta.

……Excessive power that he cannot control…….

Tobio couldn’t help but to feel increasingly frightened over the dangerous sense he was getting from Koga’s current state.

However, Natsume, Damian and Samejima, even if it was with Koga’s help, had again obtained the transformed power from their previous fight with the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, so their offensive force had increased.

“Gryphon……no wait! ! Form a squall!”

“The ! Burn her to ash and dust!”

“Alright then, !! Smash her with electricity!!!”

Their partners——the Four Fiends and Friends, having heard Natsume, Damian and Samejima’s orders, fired a gale, an barrage of pitch-black flames and an enormous blast of of electricity, the likes of which was incomparable to just before, directly at Augusta.

Expanding numerous layers of magic circles, Augusta fired ice pillars in addition to the ice spears from the Ice Princess, her expression having lost its earlier composure as she launched an offensive that was true to her nature.

With the attacks from Natsume, Damian, Samejima, and Koga, they were able to pin Augusta down.

And then, before their eyes they were able to verify one of the things Azazel had said.

It was as Azazel had told them.

‘Probably, the Oz hag won’t use her own magic and the two Longinus all at the same time. I’d estimate that it’d be better to use magic and a single Longinus. When it comes to using simultaneous Longinus, she won’t do it unless it’s quite the situation.’

To this Natsume had asked, “Why?”

At that time, Azazel had replied as follows.

‘For Ancient gears, unless it’s quite the situation, or perhaps unless it’s quite the individual, using two varieties simultaneously is quite tough. Particularly for the Longinus that are such outrageous ancient gears, to use two types simultaneously is……a considerable burden. In the best case it would completely exhaust stamina and magic power. ——It’s possible it might even shave away one’s lifeforce. In the even she were to fire off magic in addition to that, who knows to what extent she’ll end up paying for it. Naturally the witch has raised her guard since she’s hoping to use two Longinus, but on the contrary an opponent can make use of that to drive her into a corner.’

Azazel then said one final thing.

‘In any case, capturing an opponent using a Longinus will require appropriate effort. If the battle is allowed to drag on for an extended period, I think that a chance for you all to win will present itself. Don’t use showy attacks that utilize excessive stamina. With just the power you need to to counter her, delay her as long as you are able. I think she’ll start to struggle without warning.’

With the ongoing attacks upon Natsume, Damian and Samejima’s transformed ancient gears, Augusta had begun fighting while shrouded with power.

Sooner or later, if this continued——.

However, even if they waited it’d all be meaningless if she escaped at the last moment.

Even as the Natsume quadrio drew Augusta in, their next strategy was in the works.

A white flash swooped down upon the battlefield——.

It was Vali flapping his wings of light. The aura swelling from Vali’s body had accumulated to a mass previously unseen.

Having positioned himself at a short distance, he had been making preparations to temporarily raise his aura that was unified with his spirit.

For him to be showing himself here, he must have finished his preparations.

Augusta spoke to Vali who was floating up in the sky.

‘So you finally appeared, Hakuryuukou pipsqueak.’

Vali spoke with an extremely displeased facial expression.

“……How careless that was. If it’s on the level of the aged witch of Oz, I had successfully evaluated that she alone should have been sufficient to serve as opposition. Truly, with her benefactor being on their side……that must have had some negative influence on her ancient gear.”

Having heard those words, Augusta, displaying a smile dripping with unpleasantness, made use, of all things, of Lavinia's tone of voice.

‘Vah-kun, I wish you wouldn’t get so angry about this. Do you not want to be the cool Vah-kun just like you always are?’

That——most likely, was taboo. That was a line that mustn’t be crossed.

The aura enveloping Vali’s body——was ejected at an extraordinary level. The youth’s expression had become one of rage.

“……With that face and voice, you dare call my name……? Stepping into my territory……with such filthy feet……”

Trembling, Vali shouted.

“I’ll continuously slaughter you in just half a minute!!! Balance Break!!!”

‘Vanishing Dragon Overdrive!!!!!!!!’

With the voice resounding, Vali’s body released a dazzling white flash——.

After the light faded, what was revealed was a pure white plate armor flapping wings of light.

It was Vali’s Overdrive——‘‘. It was manifesting armor that suited the short-statured Vali.

Albion shouted.

‘Vali! You can only assume the armor form for a short time!’

“Even ten seconds will be sufficient!!”

Vali, having invoked the ability, used high speed to touch Augusta just once before taking up some distance. Aiming towards the evacuating Vali, Augusta began expanding countless magic circles.

‘My how terrifying!! So you can use Overdrive even with that small body! Isn’t just so wonderful! However! How’s this!”

From the countless magic circles, she was firing off magic repeated at a scale that was incomparable with everything up until then.

Flames, ice, gusts, lightning strikes, darkness, light, it was a full burst of every attribute. ——However, Vali didn’t flinch at all, and approaching at high speed, raising the aura his body was clad in to the maximum, he held his right hand forward.

“——Halve!!”

‘Divide Divide Divide Divide Divide Divide Divide Divide!!!!’

Together with the voice signalling his ability, which resounded multiple times, a change arose in the mass and scale of the numerous spells aimed at Vali. The magical attacks decreased by half, then by half again, and again by half as they appeared to undergo repeated reductions.

At last the full burst of magical attacks had been decreased in scale to the point of nearly not existing. Vali easily negated them with a brush of his hand. He hadn’t been able to reduce the power of Augusta herself by half, but it had been possible for the witch’s magic.

Augusta was shocked.

‘——The White Dragon Emperor’s reduction by half! Where Overdrive is concerned, its power is even to this extent!’

Vali gathered tremendous aura in his hand and fired it towards Augusta!

Augusta expanded a defensive-type magic circle but——.

Due to the aura bombardment of Vali who’d assumed the armored form having exceeded Augusta’s expectations in both power and density, the witch immediately assumed a weighed-down posture.

‘…………!!! For such a child to have this much power……!! This is the Two Heavenly Dragons……!!! So this is Apollo!’

Due to the force of the aura bombardment, cracks formed in the frozen surface of the lake that had been serving as her footing, which then began to spread.

Having noticed that Augusta had fallen to her knees on the spot, Vali turned his sights upon the Ice Princess behind her.

“I’ll negate that!”

Holding his hand out, Vali unleashed an aura bombardment upon the Ice Princess!

Sensing this, the Ice Princess also held its four arms out and produced countless ice spears of enormous power.

The Ice Princess then fired these at Vali who was floating in the air. Even as Vali shot them down with aura, he drew closer, quickly touched the Ice Princess once, then once again distanced himself. He then turned his halving power upon the Ice Princess.

“Be halved!”

Even the scenery surrounding the Ice Princess was distorted. It seemed that Vali’s ability could even affect space.

Vali’s halving aura enveloped the Ice Princess, which appeared to be reducing it——but the Ice Princess also released a bluish-white aura, and was able to resist it.

Vali’s halving aura and the Ice Princess’s ice aura were competing——no, the Ice Princess’s aura was pushing back, with even the distorted surroundings gradually returning to their original state.

Could the Ice Princess’s aura exceed Vali’s current power?

No, compared to when he first transformed, the aura Vali was clad in had diminished. Based on this……it would seem there’s a time limit on how long he can remain in this form.

They’d heard that as yet he could only enter Overdrive for a short time.

Vali’s talent was a certainty. He had achieved the Overdrive that was a ancient gear’s evolution at such a young age.

However, his talent did not come packaged with his own quantity of aura.

In other words, even if he could enter Overdrive, he was now running out of gas.

Nevertheless, Vali……fought back with his remaining aura without dissolving the transformation.

“Halve, halve! Halve halve halve halve halve halve halve……!!!”

Like a screaming child, in which he lost himself, Vali somehow unleashed his aura to the limits of his power upon the Ice Princess.

Vali screamed from the sky——.

“If I cannot bear even this, then even hitting that man——hitting Apollonius, hitting Rizevim will be impossible!!! Now, to watch a kind person getting injured before my eyes is something unacceptablllle!!!

He shed tears as he screamed at a frantic volume——.

Vali releashed what appeared to be the last of his power from his body! An enormous amount of aura was released from his tiny body.

“Therefore, be haaAAAaaaaaAAAAlved!!!”

——It was at that instant.

A dry shattering sound resounded throughout the entire area. The next they could see, the Ice Princess’s arm had been blown off. Not limited to just that phenomenon, the Ice Princess’s entire body was distorted both vertically and horizontally as its size seemed to gradually shrink!

Another arm went flying, the dress collapsed, and finally even the head broke off.

Seeing the Ice Princess crumble and disappear, Albion shouted.

‘——It’s done! It’s done, Vali!’

The armor disappeared as Vali returned to normal.

His breathing was heavy and painful, but his expression showed his usual innocence.

“……Naturally. I am……the descendent of the Great Sun, Vali Apollyon……”

At that, Vali lost consciousness and dropped from the sky.

Natsume, Damian and Samejima caught him before he hit the ground.

Samejima spoke while carrying Vali.

“……You’re a man, Apolydra-sensei. Geez, always trying too hard!”

Tobio, confirming Vali’s splendid accomplishment, was already rushing forward, approaching Augusta step by step. The five sets of prayer beads were on his arm.

The black dog Jin was beside him——.

Shedding tears, Natsume bellowed at Tobio and Jin.

“Vali showed his cool side!! Ikuse-kun!!! Tobio!! Cut her doooOOOOOWN!!!”

“——Yeah, I got it.”

He had already made his resolve.

As he walked, Tobio spoke the forbidden incantation he had been informed of by Azazel.

<<——Behowlest the slaying of one thousand mortals>>

Darkness——gathered in his surroundings. The darkness of this world, the darkness of eternity, all that was dark wrapped itself around one man and one animal.

His form being remade by the everlasting darkness, Tobio recalled the words Lavinia had said.



——For myself from that time, compared to how I have been since then, due to losing Papa and Mama I was deeply depressed——and I was enveloped by hatred of for ‘Ice Goblin’.



<<——Besingest the slaying of ten thousand goblins>>

Lavinia-san, when I had lost Sae, I too was overcome by deep sadness and hatred. Therefore, even if it’s not entirely, I do have an idea of what you were talking about.

This was what Tobio was feeling.



——To that end, since this is my situation, I would like for every one of you to fulfil your own objective. I don’t want to be a hindrance. Even if it is just me by myself, I will pursue them.



<<——Mine name, which tis immersed in deepest darkness, tis the Imitation God traversing the Shining Polar Night>>

Lavinia had saved them. She had supported them until the very end. Whether it was supernatural power, whether it was monsters, together with them who had set foot into a truly unknown world, she fought the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ until the very end.



——……Natsume, Daemo, Shark, Shaae, Tobi……thank you.



<<——O ye, perishest by mine own black blade>>

I want to tell her his thanks. We all do.

Because of you, Sae was able to come back, and I too was able to return from Overdrive——.



——With the independent avatar types, even if you should investigate the power sleeping within it, the moment you approach the truth there is a possibility of being consumed by that power. Your other self is a part of yourself, another version of yourself. If you show an opening at any point, that other version of yourself can change places with you.



I also understand that. I understand quite well that the thing lying dormant within me is incredibly dangerous.

Day by day the fear that my awareness may be stolen away by that grows stronger.

However, to truly approach it, to probe the power lying dormant within, Tobio was feeling that this was secondary.

I——with Sae, with everyone, in order to bring you to safety, precisely because we’re being attacked by the unreasonable, it is that for which we obtain power.

Tobio called out the final verse of the incantation. His body, which was already enveloped by darkness, took the form of a beast with six tails.

<<——Fools ye art, deformed Creator Gods>>

OOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOOOON…….

Beside him Jin let out a splendid howl——. The roar was visibly resounding throughout the entire area.

Azazel had taught him the name of this Overdrive——.

——.

Perhaps due to the aura of darkness Tobio and Jin were releasing, the snowfall that had been caused by the Ice Princess ceased, and moonlight peeked through the snow-laden clouds.

……Compared to last time, his consciousness wasn’t dominated by the thing dwelling within him. With the prayer beads attached to his arm, Tobio was maintaining his true personality……. But cracks were already forming on one of the sets of prayer beads. ……He couldn’t stay transformed for long.

The pair of beasts, while being illuminated by the light of the moon, were producing their specialized weapons from the shadows.

Tobio clutched his scythe. On the other hand, the sword that Jin held in his mouth had been inscribed with a forbidden pattern——an incantation.

A strange phenomenon was occuring in the surrounding scenery as well, with enormous deformed swords being successively spawned from the earth’s surface. It was a side effect of Night Celestial Slash Dogs, an aftereffect of the aura of darkness.

In the midst of the completely altered scenery, the pair each prepared their weapons, approaching Augusta who had fallen to her knees.

Augusta’s gaze fell upon them.

‘——So the black dogs succeeds the Vanishing Dragon. Good grief, it’s both white and black Overdrive. Could something be happening with this world’s Longinus……’

Although she muttered like that, Augusta began to rise, forming a magic circle in front of her hand.

‘Even if the Ice Princess doll has been broken, it’s too hasty to think that everything has been decided! Bear witness to the magic of Oz!’

To a degree unlike before, a seemingly endless number of magic circles formed on a scale that completely filled the entire area!

From those, magic of every sort of the various attributes was fired not just upon Tobio, but upon every person in the vicinity!

The extent of the magical attack was to such an extent that it seemed that, not just them, but that the level of damage would be great even to the entire area——to the mountain itself. It was possible that it could even affect the village.

As that large scale magic rushed down on Tobio, Azazel’s words passed through his mind.

——Your blade isn’t just a technique for cutting every object. It’s a special blade capable of cutting down even concepts, like techniques or magic.

Tobio prepared to use his scythe——. The suspicious pattern on the blade held in Jin’s mouth released a brilliance.

——At any rate, it is a ancient gear that professes to cut down even gods.

‘——. ……. ……Let’s . ……Kill. ——Watch me slay!!’

Tobio made a huge swing with the scythe! Jin also rushed forward, sweeping the sword from side to side!

A powerful shock greatly shook the air, spreading throughout the vicinity! Simultaneously, one of the sets of prayer beads on his arm broke.

A pair of rips, as though space itself had been torn apart, were produced directly ahead. Similarly, a trail of tears appeared in the countless magical attacks that had been fired their way.

And then——. Having been sliced through by Tobio and Jin’s slashing attacks, the magic burst in a large scale explosion.

Not only were Tobio and the others not injured, with her magic having been sliced apart before her eyes, Augusta’s eyes widened in horror as she shuddered.

‘Well then, in that case how about this!! Be brought to peace by the Holy Cross, oh High Priest of the White Flame!!!’

Pale flames arose from Augusta’s entire body, which then formed into a giant man of white flames beside her.

The giant immediately swung the cross it was holding down at Tobio and Jin, releasing enormous white flames.

Tobio and Jin immediately ran from that spot, closing the distance at high speeds that Augusta’s eyes couldn’t follow.

Drawing near to the white flame priest in an instant, he swung the sickle at close range. The giant also responded immediately, using its cross to defend against Tobio’s sickle——but Jin, who circled around behind it, proceeded to slash at the giant from behind.

At the moment the sword in Jin’s mouth, which had the prohibited incantation engraved on it, slashed the giant, the sensation of being slashed appeared to be transmitted to its owner Augusta——.

‘GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!’

A loud, wordless scream was raised.

Naturally, they had been regulating it so as not to damage Lavinia's body. In the end, only Augusta who was possessing her suffered damage.

The priest also had its movements slowed, and yet it was continuing to swing the cross. Tobio dodged the giant’s attacks with the smallest of movements. Sometimes, the aftereffects of the white flames would go flying, but even those were being quickly evaded by Tobio.

In his current condition, the giant’s movements were much too slow for Tobio. It was slow and heavy. In the time that the opponent made a single move, Tobio and Jin could execute ten slashes.

Relentlessly, they chopped up the white flame priest, Tobio with his scythe and Jin with his sword. As they were doing this, another set of prayer beads broke.

Having cut through the giant, Tobio closed the distance with Augusta and raised his sickle.

All that was left was to cut Augusta clear from Lavinia's body.

——But, perhaps sensing that, Augusta was once more clad herself in white flames, enveloping Lavinia's body in flames.

‘How about it? Shall I use flames to turn this girl’s body to ash!?’

The witch from Oz attempted to threaten them at the last minute. Tobio couldn’t help but to lift his hand at Augusta’s words. Cracks were already forming in his third set of prayer beads. Perhaps due to an upsurge in his use of the Overdrive power compared to before, the rate at which the prayer beads were breaking had increased. He couldn’t waste even a minute.

That was when it happened. Above Augusta’s head——something flew by up in the sky.

It was Gryphon who turned back into his original form as . was dropping something.

——Upon examination, it was Shigune’s ancient gear, “Poh-kun”. had lifted him up into the air.

As the masked beast dropped, its master Shigune issues a command.

“Poh-kun! Consume those flaaaames!!

“Pooh!”

Hearing its master’s decree, “Poh-kun”,, opened his mouth wide and assumed an inhaling posture!

And then, the white flames enveloping Lavinia were sucked into the mouth of “Poh-kun”!

With “Poh-kun” consuming, Augusta was at the end of her wits as at last all of the flames were completely sucked up.

Having fallen onto the frozen lake, “Poh-kun” let out a belch of “Gefuh.”

Even Augusta’s eyes were twitching at the actions of Shigune’s ancient gear.

‘——Absurd! My white flames!! The flames of a Longinus were eaten!?’

Azazel had said this.

‘There are differences in the capabilities of the Four Fiends and Friends, Four Divine Beasts and Four Watcher Beasts at various points in history depending on the person wielding them, but  alone is different. No matter who is making use of that one, it’s simply a nuisance. ——It eats everything. Anything and everything.’

As the Governor-General had said, “Poh-kun”, 's power was simple. ——He ate everything. Even if he was up against the flames of a Longinus.

Augusta had been rendered completely defenseless.

Tobio judged that this was the deciding moment between victory and defeat, and tightly clasped his scythe.

Samejima shouted.

“Do it now, IKUSEE!”

Sae who was in a posture of prayer alsos shouted.

“——Tobio. Please! Help Lavinia-san!!!”

Cutting Augusta away from Lavinia's body——.

Desire, wishes, a ancient gear is a supernatural power that responds to the strong thoughts of its master.

If I myself pray for it strongly, it will surely come true. I’ll surely achieve it!

The voice of the thing nesting within Tobio, the one from the dream of the other day, was revived within his mind. No, once again, it was urging Tobio.

<>

Yeah, if it’s that it can surely reach! No matter the place, no matter the obstacle——.

<>

No, my Jin doesn’t wound my companions!!

<>

Even so that’s fine. If I can save someone by ceasing to be human——.

Hey you  that’s nesting inside me! If you want to eat so much, then eat my humanity!

<>

Don’t joke around!! Like hell I’d choose something like that! Even if you’re a blade that slashes through everything, the one who chooses the thing that get slashed is me!!

That desire will merely taint you with darkness. After all, whether you like it or not, you have put yourself into the chain of combat.>>

Nevertheless, right now I will have you grant only this!!

Rescue my companion, Lavinia Reni!! Bring out that saving power!!

‘Therefore, make it reach heeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!!!’

Aiming at Augusta——at Lavinia, Tobio had performed a large downwards swing with his scythe. Tobio’s slashing attack produced a shockwave which, passing clear through her body, headed behind her, through the trees straight ahead for a long distance, all the way to the mountain itself, producing an enormous straight line of track where it passed.

…….

……After a single beat, a darkish aura leaked out of Lavinia's body.

The aura gathered beside her, where it built up into a shape. Having separated from Lavinia, it had formed into the figure of Augusta.

In a commendable act, Tobio’s attack had detached Augusta from Lavinia.

A vertical stripe had been produced on Augusta’s body, from which white flames were being emitted.

Augusta was being burned by her own flames. The elderly witch spoke with an expression of disbelief.

“……Ridiculous, only I was slashed……? ……T-This situation is……Glenda, Oz……I’m, I’m——“

Leaving that statement unfinished, Augusta was reduced to ashes by the white flames——.

As for Tobio who had just cut down the old witch, a person…….

The thing within Tobio left him with a warning.

<>

……Tobio had no words for the inner voice. Although she was an opponent, he had ended up murdering another person…….

He gazed at the blade edge of the scythe. No, he glared at it.

If he wasn’t conscious of it, his own blade would become one that mercilessly chops up everything——.

Perhaps because the fighting spirit from both themselves and their opponent had gone away, Tobio’s Overdrive came undone, and he returned to his usual state.

As for the prayer beads……the fifth set had been cracked. It seemed he had been just about at his limit.

To to the indications that the frozen lake was on the brink, Tobio hurriedly picked up Lavinia and turned back.

He placed Lavinia down in front of their companions, and Natsume embraced her, calling out her name while weeping.

“Lavinia! LAVINIA!”

At which point——.

“……Uun……”

Lavinia had responded.

With her being safe, Natsume showed a smile as she lightly shed more tears.

“——!! Geez, don’t make me worry so much!!”

Having rescued Lavinia and having brought down Augusta, Samejima, perhaps being exhausted, sat down right where he was.

“Case closed. Good grief, nothing but a tiresome battle.”

——Then, Azazel’s voice came from the doll on the shoulder of Vali who had fainted.

‘Respond. What became of the operation?’

It seemed that he was making contact out of concern.

They informed him of their safety and success, and Azazel then immediately spoke.

‘Lavinia's alright then. Alright, somebody, quickly secure Augusta’s white flames. Those——are a ancient gear that wanders from one master to another. Don’t overlook it.’

“It wanders from one to another?”

As everyone’s eyebrows were raising in response to information they had heard for the first time——. On the opposite shore of the pond, a girl wearing familiar gothic-style clothes made an appearance.

It was Augusta’s disciple Walburga.

In her hand——a white fire was burning.

‘——!!’

At that spectacle, everyone’s breath got caught as they couldn’t help being shocked.

Walburga spoke while displaying a mischievous smile.

“Mfufu𝆕 This flame won’t be bestowed upon you! I’m retrieve retrieving it!”

Following through on her words, Walburga quickly moved to leave.

Having heard her speech, Azazel spoke in an annoyed sounding voice.

‘Tch, she has a sly hand. No helping it. After you’ve met up with Baraqiel and Asriel, withdraw immediately. We’ll assess it with you afterwards. Because a single dispute with the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families is causing trouble.’

Receiving Azazel’s orders, Tobio and the others established contact with Baraqiel via cell phone.

At the time of their withdrawal, there was one person who had already left the scene.

——It was Koga.

The direction he was heading was entirely different with the one Tobio and the others had their eyes on.

Samejima spoke.

“Koga. You come too, since even if it’s that black winged ossan, wouldn’t your livelihood be guaranteed for the time being?”

Shrugging his shoulders, this was how Koga replied.

“——Well, just let me be by myself for the moment. Well, since it’s said that the Four Fiends and Friends will naturally meet, we’ll meet again soon.”

Having said that, he disappeared into the deep woods together with his ancient gear Blitz.

“Hyousuke!!”

Damian had shouted his name but——.

“Seeya, Damian, Same-chan, everyone.”

Leaving just those words behind, he left at a quick pace——.

Part 3
At the entrance to the woods——.

After the battle had ended, Himejima Suzaku, Andreas Hoffman and Kushihashi Seiryuu watched from undercover at a distance as Tobio and company plus Baraqiel and Asriel looked to be leaving the area by car.

Suzaku spoke.

“Though it seems that Kokabiel got away, the rendezvous itself seems to have occured one way or another.”

Andreas sighed as he spoke.

“It seems that the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ has been cast aside by them. Those from the agency who had been tempted were also helping, but Kokabiel and the Wizards and Witches of Oz are beyond help for having involved our nine houses.”

“……Well then, in terms of the heads from each house, just what kind of orders will they dump on us from now on I wonder.”

Seiryuu gave a word of advice to Suzaku.

“However, Suzaku, with the Houses having been silent thus far, I don’t know what they’ll tell us going forward. Do you have the readiness for that? ——is what I should be asking myself as well, huh.”

As he had said, at the time Tobio and the others were fighting Augusta, Oz’s Witch of the East, the reason that injuries were kept to a minimum was that the practitioners of the Five Principal Clans and Four Watcher Families had been tasked with employing a large scale people clearing technique.

Moreover, so as not to allow any hindrance to them, they had also obstructed the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ remnants and the magicians of Oz.

As a result of that, Tobio and company’s fight with Augusta was a gathering of them alone.

Suzaku spoke.

“You explain your part. I……have no choice but to forcibly convince the family head against his will.”

Then, it was time to consider just what sort of explanation to give.

“——Well then, perhaps you could tell me a reason that will make me agree.”

Together with those words from a fourth person, they came to perceive a powerful spirit close by. When Suzaku, Andreas and Seiryuu turned to face the individual, there stood a tall male wearing a military uniform. With an appearance like one in his early twenties, he was a good-looking man with sharp pale gray eyes matching those of Tobio.

It wasn’t a military uniform of the Self-Defence Forces, but rather it was a special formal attire of that house’s practitioners.

Until she had been greeted by him, Suzaku hadn’t sensed any hint of his presence. For this man to render his presence unperceivable was itself a magnificent feat.

Suzaku spoke.

“……So you’ve come then. ——Current head of the Nakiri house, Nakiri Nakagami Ouryuu.”

Indeed, the male in the military uniform was a chief of the Five Principal Clans——the Nakiri house’s current head, Nakiri Nakagami Ouryuu, that was this person.

The person contracted to the strongest Sacred Beast, ——.

Ouryuu spoke to Suzaku, Andreas and Seiryuu.

“Soon, I would like to question those who took part in the incident involving the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, starting with Ikuse Tobio, at the ‘Inner Sanctuary’ and I intend to propose as much to the other heads of household as well. I wonder if, perhaps, it’ll come to pass.”

Seiryuu smiled bitterly in response to that statement.

“……The ‘Inner Sanctuary’, you seem serious Ouryuu.

Both Suzaku and Andreas squinted at him and Andreas asked a question.

“……What are you planning for them, Nakiri-san?”

Ouryuu replied briefly.

“That——depends on their answers.”

That Ouryuu was directing his gaze in the direction the car Baraqiel was driving had left in.

“……Dog huh. Well then, how will this turn out?”

Convictor/Sword Enthusiast Teacher and Student
As Tobio and company were battling the ‘Utsusemi Agency’ remnants as well as the magicians of Oz, there were two people watching from the peak of a mountain a short distance away.

They were agents from the Vatican——David Cerro and his pupil Kurze Strada.

Without participating in the recent fight, they, having decided to watch patiently——to wait and see, had personally used a telescope to observed the battle between the mutually antagonistic organizations.

The Ice Princess——Lavinia Reni, who had rampaged, had seemingly been stopped by the abilities of the Longinus, the power of the Hakuryuukou together with the Dog God.

As he looked away from the telescope, David muttered.

“……’‘, ‘‘, ‘‘, ‘‘……ice and flames, white and black, so those four Longinus gathered at a single spot huh. Is it the god of miracles, or possibly the god of mischief. If so, I wonder how long it will take the Holy Spear, Iron Maiden, and to appear. ——I have comprehended the situation. We will retire now, Kurze.”

David said this to the pupil who was taking notes behind him.

Surrounding his pupil, a the atrocious figures of several corpses were laying.

They were ‘Utsusemi Agency’ remnants and magicians of Oz who had attacked David and Kurze.

Having been on the lookout for heroes and church officials showing up at this place, they had rushed them, but they were on the contrary beaten at their own game and met with a gruesome end.

David spoke to Kurze who was unsheathing a sword of light from the corpse of a female magician.

“Even if we get rid of this many underling heretics and witches, it shouldn’t be a problem for the present investigation.”

Displaying an insane smile, Kurze responded.

“Hey hey, boss. I mean, that earlier aura were from Longinus right……. Weeell, if that’s the honest truth, they probably won’t get killed all that easily.”

David spoke.

“Those were things created by our God……but due to the humans they dwell within being random, if they lack piety, it will lead to these sorts of consequences. As expected, the Longinus ought to be similarly controlled by us believers. Only two have appeared in believers thus far.”

While smiling pleasantly, Kurze asked his master.

“What should we do about it in the event they cannot control them? Also, will we chomp them, huh?”

As he said this, he put his hands on his head.

David looked to the heavens as he clasped the cross on his chest.

“Naturally. There’s nothing but to convict them.

——The meeting between them and Ikuse Tobio and company was nearing.

Final Chapter: Companions/Strength in Unity
Ten days had passed since they’d returned from the mountain forest.

As a result of effect due to his Overdrive, Tobio was more or less hospitalized for examination, and was staying at a Grigori medical care facility.

As a result of having exhausted his stamina to the extreme, it was something that could also be called resting.

Tobio, who had looked forward to finally leaving the hospital, had was returning to his hospital room after his daily exam. In response to seeing the figure of Jin curled up in a corner of the room asleep, Tobio let a smile leak out.

——And, there was a visitor who had entered the hospital room ahead of his.

“How is it, your condition that is?”

The one seated in the hospital room’s chair was Azazel.

Previously, after the fight with the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, Tobio recalled experiencing something similar.

Tobio replied while sitting down on the bed.

“Yes, somehow, it’s like I’m noticing various things compared to before……it’s a bit scary.”

Perhaps as an effect of using Overdrive, compared to before the recent events, the sensitivity of his sense of hearing and the like had sharpened.

He would inevitably pick up on distant footsteps and sounds.

Azazel spoke.

“……You’ve advanced your alignment with your ancient gear. For those types of Ancient gears with evil spirits and the like sealed within them, just by wishing for the ability, one grows closer with the things that are sealed. In no way is it that they lost their will, and it seems that are not at all of the mind to obey you who is the owner.”

……When those prayer beads were all broken, I wonder just what would have happened?

At that time, Vali and Lavinia were far from perfect condition, Damian too, oddly, and Azazel hadn’t been anywhere nearby. Compared to when they changed him back before, since the circumstances had deteriorated, if the prayer beads had been lost…….

With Tobio still pondering, Azazel continued.

“It is a highly dangerous article for you in particular. As a result of obtaining power just by wishing for it, it seems that  those  which are within you are demanding something important as compensation.”

Sooner or later, it seemed that he would have no choice but to confront the things dwelling within him.

……Lycaon and Ame-no-Ohabari……. Going forward, I will have to consider how I should approach them.

His fight was still continuing. For the sake of what was still to come……in order to spend his time going forward in safety, Tobio would have to better understand his ‘power’.

After a beat, Azazel explained the following to Tobio.

“What the traitor to the Grigori Kokabiel is trying to do……is to artificially produce incarnations that can overthrow even a god, Longinus.”

——!

……Artificially produce Longinus? Something as atrociously strong as what Tobio, Lavinia, Vali, and Augusta wielded made artificially…….

Azazel continued.

“As we were finally coming to the brink of artificially producing ordinary ancient gears, that bastard is trying to skip several steps……no, skip tens of steps. It’s an extremely dangerous idea. It would be wrong for us Grigori not to prevent it beforehand. Be that as it may, if I or my staff and colleagues were to appear on the front lines, the hostile powers will not remain silent. Whether it’s the supernatural power users of this country, or whether it’s the Vatican, the Heroes or even to the extent of the angels from the heavens.”

At the time he had met him, Kokabiel had gotten in contact with him in whom he had a great interest. Azazel’s words had made it possible to explain plenty about Kokabiel's attitude at the time.

Most of all, he couldn’t help but to feel afraid regarding the thing that had been given to Koga. ……He was exceedingly worried about his classmate’s safety.

——That fallen angel seems as though he’d bring chaos to every power in the world for the sake of his research.

Azazel spoke.

“……Without making things public, I’d like to settle things behind the scenes. For that reason, the power of you Four Fiends and Friends and Longinus bearers will be necessary. Will you lend me your power?”

At that moment Tobio was unsure of how to respond to Azazel’s query.

Two girls burst into the hospital room. They were Natsume and Sae.

“Ikuse-kun, have you returned from your examination!?”

“Tobio!”

The pair were both in a considerably hurried state.

Natsume’s gaze fell upon Azazel as she drew close.

“Ah, you were also here Governor-General. This is serious!”

Natsume spoke to Tobio and Azazel.

“Lavinia has come to her senses.”

This was good news.



Since being brought back from the mountain forest, Lavinia had been brought into to the Grigori medical facilities, and while being observed by authorized members of ‘Grauzauber’, she had been undergoing various examinations and treatments.

Befittingly exhausted from having her mind and body hijacked by Augusta, she had been ordered to undergo complete bed rest.

During that time, she repeatedly received measures to remove the effects of Augusta’s magic, which were continuing even now.

Reaching her personal hospital room, where she had been sleeping continuously for ten days……however, she had finally awakened.

Her companions assembled surrounding Lavinia. Of course, their new companions consisting of Nanadaru Shigune, “Poh-kun", Shiranui Lily, and Lulou were also together with them.

Tobio inquired of Lavinia, who was only raising the upper half of her body.

“Lavinia-san, is your body fine already?”

In response to Tobio’s inquiry, Lavinia displayed her usual smile.

“It is thanks to you that I am so healthy.”

Seemingly pleased, Natsume spoke while pointing a finger at Vali.

“Sheesh, we’ve been worrying about you! Even Vah-kun was crying you know?”

The silver haired youth, who was leaning his back against the wall in the corner of the room, retorted with half opened eyes.

“Who was crying. I was just assisting since it was difficult to say if she’d die or wake up.”

However, Vali’s ears had turned bright red.

Seemingly understanding everything, Lavinia gave Vali a smile.

“Ufufu, Vah-kun now you understand why I say that Vali is such a tender boy.”

Vali turned his face away……he apparently didn’t want to show everyone his embarrassed expression.

After surveying everyone’s face, Lavinia made an announcement with a determined expression.

“……I, I have decided. ——I shall meet with honored master directly. When we meet, I shall ask for the truth once again.”

‘——!!’

Everyone was surprised by Lavinia's admission……immediately understanding her feelings, they nodded strongly to one another.

Natsume spoke.

“Understood. Well then, we will assist with that.”

“Natsume……”

Samejima spoke with a wry smile.

“At this point we might as well get it done already.”

Tobio was also in agreement with this opinion.

“Yeah, we’re comrades. One way or another, it appears that Oz will be appearing before us from now on as well, and their aim remain unchanged. In that case, let’s cooperate from now on, Lavinia-san.”

Tobio extended his hand. Though Lavinia was astonished at the accepting attitudes of her comrades, she gave them a happy smile.

She exchanged a handshake with Tobio offered hand.

“Thank you so much, everyone.”

Lavinia spoke these words while enfolding Tobio’s hand in both of her own.

“……Even so, ‘san’ is unacceptable. If we are companions, then I would like for that to truly be the case.”

He couldn’t help but to feel that she……had opened up her heart far more than she had up until that point.

Tobio nodded and replied.

“Understood. ——Lavinia.”

When Tobio called her by her first name, Lavinia, her face dyed redder than it had been up until then, ended up averting her eyes from his…….

——And, Natsume added her on hand on top of Tobio and Lavinia's hands, and spoke to them.

“Well then, I shall be Natsume! I’ll also call you Tobio!”

At this Damian and Samejima piled on their hands as well.

“Ah, well then, I’ll also call you Tobio I guess. Therefore you should call me by my first name.”

“Understood, Natsume, Damian, Kouki.”

At this, even Shigune and Lily piled on her hand.

“I-I’ve also become a companion! Therefore I should be Shigune!”

“Sure, Natsume, Damian, Kouki, Shigune, Lily. I’ll be in your care from now on.”

Lastly, Sae piled on her own hand.

“I’m also your companion to the end after all.”

With one person’s hand having not been added to the pile, everyone’s gaze gathered on Vali who was leaning his back against the wall.

Vali spoke with half-opened eyes.

“……I’m able to do such a thing then.”

However, Lavinia spoke while unintentionally letting out a small laugh.

“Va-kun. If you add your hand to the pile, you’ll get to eat delicious meals you know, right? If you don’t you might go without any meals.”

That was the sort of thing she said. Vali’s expression became idiotic but……as he sighed, perhaps out of resignation, scratching the back of his head in reluctant acceptance, he finally piled his hand onto the pile in spite of his shyness.

They all nodded to one another. Forcing their way through the current situation, it seemed that they had strengthened and deepened something important.

It was a still a serious state of affairs, with nothing but confusion occuring, and they were adjoined with mortal peril……but nevertheless they wanted to be strong together, they desired to become stronger.

Azazel, Governor General of the ‘‘, cheerfully watched over the children whose unity had been strengthened——.

/Beyond the
Having slipped out of Lavinia's hospital room slightly early, Vali, with an expression that was true to his nature, spoke to the dragon that dwelled within him.

“Albion, I understood it quite well from this recent affair. I am in need of more power.”

‘Overdrive huh. At present there’s no particular change in objective.’

Even for the current Vali, it was possible to manifest the ‘‘ that was the Overdrive to ‘‘.

——But, because there were still uneasy aspects with his physique and the like, a perfect Balance Break was as of yet unreasonable.

“No, that doesn’t pass the checkpoint. Further beyond that.”

Abion was astonished by Vali’s words.

‘——By no means, Vali. ……?’

“……You finally got it. In order to acquire a degree of strength that deviates from that of the other Longinus, I shall master the blood dwelling within this body, and that simply must be accompanied by the power of the Heavenly Dragon.”

Unless I do so, I……will end up losing to that ‘graceful person’ again.

No, if I can become strong, I should be able to wound that ‘graceful person’. When the blood flowing in my body and the ancient gear dwelling within my body awaken for real, then I shall have to make a decision without fail.

This and more, so as not to lose to that ‘graceful person’, by being separated from that person’s vicinity——.

If it’s the blood of Apollo after all, I understand more about it than anyone.

Although, at least when the time comes to approach him, I want to be strong. I want to be an existence that con protect.

Therefore——.

“Albion, I do not intent to tolerate Oz. The Witch of the West? The Witch of the East? The same even if they’re North or South. ——I’ll bring down all their members, and I’ll drag out that  who’s in that rumored Emerald City.”

At the impactful sound of Vali’s voice, Albion stammered hopefully.

‘……The current age’s  will have a difficult fight against you Vali. To the point I cannot determine whether it will end in victory or defeat.’

Vali displayed a fearless smile in response to Albion’s statement.

“Hmph, unexpectedly, they may have talent exceeding that of my own?”

‘That doesn’t seem to be the case, Vali. You are the strongest  in any generation thus far. If a Sekiryuutei that exceeds you exists, it would be the product of even greater miracles.’

If such a thing was possible, when they should encounter each other for their fated battle, Vali truest hope was that it would be an existence as special as himself.

Origin of Calamity/To Infinity
Having finished their recent  experiments  Kokabiel and the Wizards of Oz organization returned to the research institution that served as their base.

The location of the institution was a large space prepared in advance which had been established in the underground beneath one of Japan’s urban areas.

The place hadn’t even been reported to the people from the ‘Utsusemi Agency’. Those able to come and go at present were only personnel authorized by Kokabiel as well as the Wizards of Oz and the Goddess Phobetor.

From the outset, the people of the Agency had been intended as sacrificial pawns.

With the data from the time they’d been manipulating the ‘Utsusemi Agency’, together with Augusta’s cooperation, they’d achieved the outcome they had been aiming for without a hitch.

Having returned to his own personal laboratory within the institution, Kokabiel opened the cap on a bottle of cognac that had been placed on a board, from which he poured some into a glass.

At the moment he swallowed a mouthful, several witches entered the lab.

They were witches from the Oz side’s leadership.

“So you’ve returned, Kokabiel.”

Having received a greeting from one of the witches, Kokabiel spoke.

“I assume you are aware of the matter concerning Augusta.”

Even knowing that the ‘Witch of the East’, who was a member of the leadership, had perished, the witches were not overly concerned.

“There is still the ‘Witch of the East’ candidate. It is quite delightful that it was possible to recover the white flames.”

The Longinus of white flames, which had been lodged within Augusta’s body, had been recovered by her disciple Walburga, and had been safely brought back to this institution.

Walburga herself, having entered the room together with the leadership, had been peerly at the experimental equipment in the room with intense curiosity.

In terms of the death of Augusta her master, her state was one of complete lack of concern.

Kokabiel spoke.

“Were you able to get in contact with that side?”

“Indeed. It seems that the ‘Emerald City’ has been roused considerably. After all, it’s possible we’ll be able to achieve our goal of once again utilizing the ‘Three Demonic Beasts.”

The ‘Three Demonic Beasts’ of Oz——they were the, the , and the .

To once again utilize them had been made the single publicized objective by the people of Oz.

One of the witches shifted her gaze to a corner of the room.

Over there was a single sheathed long sword sleeping in exclusive use pod.

“Could that be a demonic sword?”

In response to the witch’s inquiry, Kokabiel stood before the pod that was under adjustment.

“It would seem that among our opponents there are several who carry troublesome ‘blades’. Therefore, when I snuck out of the Grigori, I simply thought of something I could take with me that would be useful.

While tapping lightly on the pod with his finger, he spoke.

“——Mystletainn. The demonic power of a legendary sword that fall from a holy sword and a demonic sword. With this, whether it’s the Longinus’s blade or whether it’s the pursuing holy sword messenger, it should be able to exchange blows with them. Above all, it is suitable for an angel who’s fallen like myself.”

Even as they directed their gazes upon the demonic sword that had fallen, the witches inquired of Kokabiel.

“And, what of the earlier objective?”

“To invoke disturbing elements, power is necessary. If it’s a human, it’s fine so long as they’ve been bestowed with a ancient gear, but where fantastical beings are concerned it’s a different story. When it comes to drawing out fantastical beings, ‘power’ as an explicit offering is necessary.”

“——Then, would that be your aim?”

In regards to the witch’s question, Kokabiel directed his gaze towards the wall of the room.

That spot——was decorated with a painting of a long multicolored dragon that was like both a snake and a rainbow. The dragon was holding its own tail in its mouth.

Kokabiel spoke.

The longest living creatures in this world——dragons. Among them, said to be one of the Dragon Gods, is one endowed with the power of both dreams and infinity……”

The witches understood.

“——The Rainbow Serpent huh. The power of the ‘Serpent’ of Australia……”

“Indeed, find Wagyl.”

A legendary dragon. The Dragon God considered to be one of the strongest in the world——.

The being that was the mixed personification of dreams and infinity. Kokabiel had decided upon that strongest dragon to be his objective.

Walburga raised an inquiry while reaching her hand towards a fresco that was in the corner of the room.

“Incidentally, what is the name we’re giving to this gathering of forces?”

“For a name, just call it whatever you like.”

One of the leadership witches curtly rejected the statement of the young Walburga, but paying it no mind, she asked a question in great interest.

“But but, isn’t something like that of considerable importance? Shouldn’t we give it a name like those of the opposing powers?”

To this Kokabiel replied.

“If it’s a name, Phobetor-sama and I have more or less thought of one.”

After a moment’s pause, he said that name.

“——‘Chaos Insurgency’, I think that is what we should name our gathering.”

Everything started from here——.