Chapter 51

The event for the overnight recreation was taking place deep in the forest, where a female yin-yang practitioner, clad in a robe with a spell to conceal her presence, was talking to Mizukawa Junha.

"Report is as above."

"Indeed. So, three magicians from the 'Twilight and Dawn Group' have infiltrated Asahikawa to search for the 'Fairy Seed,' correct?"

"Yes. Based on the information we have, that's the situation."

The female yin-yang practitioner reporting to Junha is a practitioner of the Mizukawa family, responsible for the investigation and management around Asahikawa.

"Of the three infiltrated magicians, we can track the movements of two, but the whereabouts of the third are unknown. Please be cautious, Junha-sama."

"Understood. Thank you for the information. Continue to track the movements of the infiltrated magicians. I'll handle the Fairy Seed."

"Understood."

With those words, the female yin-yang practitioner ran off into the forest.

"Hmm, it's a complicated case, but I have to try my best."

Junha organized the case in her mind and considered the actions she needed to take.

The root of this case was the internal split within the British magical organization, the 'Twilight and Dawn Group.'

The moderate faction, which aims to prevent the decline and crisis of humanity in secret and wishes for new development and prosperity.

The hardline faction, which aims to destroy gods and sinners that harm humans and wishes for the new evolution and potential of humanity.

The conflict between the two factions, born from the differing perceptions of the organization's name, 'Twilight and Dawn Group,' is at the core of this case.

"The hardline faction stole the 'Fairy Seed' from the moderate faction, and during the transaction, the 'Fairy Seed' was taken by someone else, and now both factions are searching for it, right?"

The Mizukawa family is on good terms with the moderate faction, to which Owl belongs, and is helping with the search for the Fairy Seed as a member of the moderate faction.

Therefore, even during the overnight recreation, Junha was in close contact with the practitioners and spirits around Asahikawa, investigating the movements of the hardline faction.

"Phew... I'm tired."

However, Junha had two more sources of trouble.

"Even though it's to give Junna and Owl-chan experience... I wish they would consider my hard work too..."

The first source of trouble is that she has been instructed to have Junna and Owl resolve the case to gain experience.

Due to the wishes of the current head of the Mizukawa family, Ryuukai, and the strong request of the leader of the 'Twilight and Dawn Group,' Owl's father, the practitioners and spirits led by Junha were asked not to get involved in the case unless absolutely necessary.

"Judging when to get involved is too difficult. Besides, why is Yukiya involved...?"

The second source of trouble is that Yukiya Keigo is somehow involved in the case.

Since the Mizukawa family's practitioners, including Junha, were officially not helping, Junna and Owl were trying to resolve the case on their own. As a result, the reason for Yukiya's involvement was only known between Junna and Owl.

Junha didn't know that the Fairy Seed, which Yukiya had created and which was the cause of the case, no longer existed.

"I sent a familiar to find out the reason, but it somehow lost control..."

To investigate why Yukiya was involved, Junha tried to eavesdrop on his conversations using a familiar.

However, the sparrow-shaped familiar she sent lost control and flew off somewhere, leaving her unable to determine the reason for his involvement.

"I thought I heard 'I'll borrow this familiar' just before it lost control... but it must be my imagination. I must be tired..."

Recalling the animals she saw at the zoo, Junha calmed herself down.

Then, with a clear mind, she decided on her next course of action.

"Alright! I'll observe Owl-chan's movements as much as possible while investigating Yukiya's movements and the reason for his involvement."

Junha knows that the unique aura emitted by the Fairy Seed can only be sensed by the fairies Owl commands.

Therefore, she understands that by observing Owl's movements, she can determine the location of the Fairy Seed.

"Before that, I need to work hard on making pottery too."

Giving instructions to the practitioners and spirits, supporting Junna and Owl, searching for the Fairy Seed and observing Yukiya's movements, and her duties as a class president during the school event.

Mizukawa Junha, the person who was quietly bearing the most burden in this case, was her.

◇

"We've arrived. There's something here."

Kuro and the others were led to a remote mountain in the city.

At first glance, it was just a forest with trees, but Kuro, Shiro, and Rin saw a different scene.

"Wow! It's beautiful!"

"Kaa!"

"Yes, it's an incredible number of barriers."

The forest in front of them was surrounded by multiple layers of barriers.

The outer layers had barriers with the effect of avoiding people and concealing, while the inner layers had barriers with defensive and automatic repair functions.

These barriers were so intricately hidden that even a skilled practitioner would have difficulty finding them, and if they did, they would be impossible to break through.

"They've been repeatedly reinforced and added to for hundreds of years. The barriers have influenced each other and have been affected by the ley lines, making them so powerful that even I can't control them..."

Wako, the creator of the scene in front of them, answered with a troubled expression.

"Even if you can't control them, I've never seen such barriers... No, there was one person."

"Kaa!"

"Your barriers are amazing too, Master!"

Kuro and the others recalled the image of their master, who could easily use the 'Triple Barrier,' which is difficult for several high-level practitioners to create.

"Hearing that you chose the name Kuro instead of being a cat god, I imagined you would choose to serve humans."

Wako, with a sad expression, recalled the face of her former master.

"Wako-sama..."

"Onee-sama..."

"..."

Iwa, Koro, and Sei also agreed with Wako's words and looked sad.

Wako, Iwa, Koro, and Sei were spirits who once served an Ainu youth as their master.

"I was a bit nostalgic. I didn't want to talk about the past, but I wanted to talk about what these barriers are protecting."

"Protecting?"

"Yes, the torso of the evil god that our master defeated is sealed here."

"The torso of an evil god?"

"Yes. Not a half-baked existence like us, but a being that has truly ascended to the level of a god. Its torso."

"Such a dangerous thing is sealed here!?"

As a cat god, Kuro could sense the absolute nature of a god and the danger if it were misused. Wako's words about the sealed torso filled Kuro with an unusual sense of crisis.

"It can't move without a head, but it's still dangerous if misused."

Wako, fully aware of the danger, continued.

"Just a moment ago, there was a reaction indicating that someone interfered with the barriers. Since you appeared at Kamikokutan right after that, I thought it might be a diversion, so I sent Iwa and the others."

"So that's why we were attacked earlier."

"Kaa!"

"Yes, I'm sorry."

Kuro and Shiro nodded in understanding at Wako's words.

"If you didn't know about this place, the one who interfered with the barriers isn't one of your group, right?"

"Yes. I have no idea who it could be. It's probably not our masters either."

Since there was no trace of Yukiya, Nia, or Uru, Kuro ruled out the possibility that Yukiya had accidentally interfered with the barriers.

"I see. So, when you appeared at Kamikokutan, someone coincidentally..."

Just as Wako was about to finish speaking, Shiro noticed an unfamiliar presence and shouted.

Immediately after, a sound like shattering glass echoed, and an old woman with red hair appeared from a hole in the barrier.

"Hmm? Who are you?"

The old woman with red hair looked around, tilted her head, and asked.

"That's my line! How did you break this barrier...!?"

Just before she finished speaking, Wako noticed a black sphere in the old woman's hand and was shocked.

"Give that back!"

"I don't want to. It was hard to take it out."

The black sphere, with black veins running through it, pulsating and contracting and expanding.

Kuro also realized the true nature of the sphere the old woman held a moment later.

"That's the heart of the evil god!"

"Yes, it's much smaller compared to the torso. Maybe it was a god with a small heart?"

The old woman, laughing, gradually changed her appearance into that of a man wearing a cap.

"What...!?"

"That presence...!?"

The moment they saw the man, Kuro and Wako were seized by a strange sensation.

The youth who helped the gods, who was granted the power of the gods and revived, Yukiya Keigo.

The hero of Kamikokutan, who received the power of the mountain god and defeated the evil god, Wako and her companions' master.

The presence of the man in front of them overlapped with the presence of their former master.

"Wako-sama, what's wrong?"

"Kuro, you look pale."

While listening to Iwa and Rin's worried words, Kuro and Wako kept their eyes on the man in the cap.

"The famous cat god and the former nine-tailed fox and their merry companions. This... is a bit of a disadvantage."

"A bit? I don't know who you are, but don't underestimate us!"

Judging the man with the evil god's heart as an enemy, Koro threw a black sword at him.

"Can you turn your feathers into weapons? But in this form, it won't work."

The moment the man changed back to the old woman with red hair, the thrown sword turned back into a black feather.

"This form is called Flare, a person with the ability 'Nullify,' which can nullify all magic and abilities within its range."

"I see, so you broke my barrier with that ability."

While the hole in the barrier was automatically repairing, Wako calmly analyzed why her barrier was broken.

"Correct. This ability is very convenient."

"If your abilities don't work, I'll just punch you."

Iwa, who had sneaked up behind the man by passing through the ground, threw a punch at the old woman with red hair.

However, the old woman changed into a tall man with blond hair and easily caught Iwa's punch.

"This form is definitely... Dies, the person with the 'Enhancement' ability. Abilities are indeed convenient."

"Can you use the abilities of the people you imitate?"

"Not just abilities, I can imitate spells too. 'Explosive Flame Fist.'"

While answering Kuro, the man changed into a bald old man and released an explosive flame from his fist, sending Iwa flying.

"Iwa, are you okay!?"

"I'm fine. I avoided any fatal injuries."

Iwa, holding his burned right arm, answered Wako's worried words.

"That form is the former head of the Hinoyama family!"

"Correct. How about this form?"

The man changed into Yukiya Keigo as he spoke.

The post is a bit late. I apologize.