(Tiamat’s POV)

  “Eh, what the…who are you? Wait, is that…”

  “No time to expin. Is there any empty bed left?”

  “Uh uhm…yeah we still have plenty…”

  “Good, get this girl one quick.”

  Arriving at the academy’s medical center, I asked the nurse to prepare a bed not for me, but for the girl I’m carrying.

  Yamamoto Nahoka, a sophomore student of Kiriwatari Academy, just went through a fierce battle and now, she’s severely injured.

  The speedy girl needs immediate treatment, and she’ll get just that as the nurses put her on the stretcher and take her to the emergency room.

  As the doctors are doing their jobs, I sit and wait outside. From what I’m sensing, this pce isn’t overcrowded much compare to the evacuation spots. Some students are here, and all of them are capable of protecting this pce just fine.

  Knowing that, I shift my focus to something more important. That thing is what ignites this whole incident and why the speedy girl has to be here.

  “So…you’re the one who brought her here right?”

  All of sudden, Ms. Lisa, the head doctor of the center, shows up right in front of me. I’m not surprised that she’s here, in fact, it would be shocking if she didn’t.

  “That’s right doc. If you keep up with the [Summer Tournament], you must have known it by now don’t you?” I asked.

  “Yeah, and who would’ve thought she’s coming back here for that…”

  Since Ms. Lisa here is responsible for the students’ recovery, she knows quite a lot about the current situation, including the arrogant kid’s rampage. And just like others, there’s a lot of be unveiled.

  “Don’t worry doc. I was told just how persistent she is, so I’m sure she’ll be just fine. But of course, you can always go through that door and check for yourself…”

  “Then I’ll do just that. I don’t know how long it’ll take, but can you please bear with me? There’s something I want to ask you after…”

  “Well let’s see…Good news, time is on my side, so I’ll hang around here for quite some time. You can ask me anything and I’ll answer it in my power.”

  After that, Ms. Lisa prepares herself and goes to the emergency room. I think I know just what she wants to know, and I’m not afraid to share it.

  “Alright, let’s get back to where I left off shall we…”

  Whispering to myself, I close my eyes. I was focusing on my Master’s fight before Ms. Lisa’s arrival, and let me tell you, it’s quite an interesting thing to do.

  In order to watch the fight without anyone noticing, I used [Third Eye], which is a technique that allows me to create an artificial eye out of my own mana.

  After that, all I have to do is pick a great spot and coat that eye in [Invisibility]. The arrogant kid won’t even suspect a thing.

  Through the third eye, I can see just how well Master is doing. Analyzing his opponent, giving out effective attack pns, improvising right on the spot, he’s done it all.

  It’s only his fourth real match yet he fights like a veteran. That calm and collective mentality…that’s not something you regurly see from an ordinary fifteen-years-old teenager.

  Not to mention, his teamwork is quite impressive for a first-timer. Master and his best friend had trained together before, but fighting together as a duo, they had never done it before.

  “Huh, they’re doing pretty good…I guess I stay here for a bit more…”

  “Who exactly are you?”

  After helping the speedy girl recover from the injuries, Ms. Lisa led me to her office. Unsurprisingly, she questioned my identity right away, which is something I won’t give out easily.

  Then again, in this scenario, I don’t want to lie to anyone, and Master is busy saving the arrogant kid, so I guess an exception is acceptable…

  “You know, my Master told me to not reveal my identity without his permission, but since you asked…”

  “Your Master?”

  “Yeah, he’s the one who sent me here. Take a look.”

  As she’s still confusing, I open a small portal and grab something from it. I give that thing to her and tell her to see it for herself.

  I can already tell how shocked Ms. Lisa is, but she still takes it and plugs it into her ptop. What she received from me is actually the USB containing Master’s unedited profile. And if my calcution is right…

  “What is this…Wait, doesn’t that mean you…How is this possible…”

  “Ah, it’s good to hear something like that again…”

  Her reaction is a mix of disbelief, daze and confusion. Gods and mythological creatures aren’t something you’ll get to meet on a daily basis, and that’s what makes it interesting.

  It’s always cute to see how unprepared and panicky humanity are when dealing with this matter, even if it’s the reason I was locked up years ago…

  “So that expins Yasutaira-kun’s burst of power in just two months…”

  “Haha, not exactly Ms. Lisa. The answer is still unknown, so I’m still working on finding it. Of course, help from outsiders is always a good option as long as I allow it…”

  “I see…Oh my, I feel like I’m in a movie with ridiculous plotlines or something. It’s just…too much to handle…”

  “It’s alright, don’t push yourself too hard. You’re a doctor after all, so my advice for you doc is to just stay in your ne.” I said.

  Hearing that, her facial expressions are now somewhat more rexed. She still needs more time to digest all of this information, but at least, it’s not something completely out of her hand.

  “Yeah you’re right…Man just what’s with today…”

  Ms. Lisa hands me back the USB. I tell her to make sure that no information from it will be leaked out. At first, she was confused, but after a little expnation, she gdly accepts it.

  If I wanted, I could have just do it by myself, but at that point, it’s just invasion of privacy. And if I can think of it, others might consider it as well.

  “You know, now that I think of it…”

  “Hmm?

  “Yasutaira-kun is your Master right?”

  “Yup, it’s on the record. No lies here miss.”

  “If he sent you here, then does it mean that…”

  “Yeah, he’s now out there fighting the Kuroto kid.”

  As expected, Ms. Lisa once again shows me the shocking face. Like most of the crowds, she only knows half the truth, and of course, only she gets to the other half, this kind of reaction is unavoidable.

  In fact, I can even predict what she’ll say to me next. Don’t believe me?

  “Then why are you so chill about this? Shouldn’t you be in the battlefield helping him by now instead of keep sitting here?”

  “Master told me to help only when he calls me. Until then, I can do whatever I want as long as it’s not vioting anything he against. Besides, put some faith on your on students will you?”

  “Is that so huh…Well, can’t argue with a god…”

  Letting out a big sigh, Ms. Lisa calms herself down and focuses on other matters. Worrying for Master now is just worthless, and she knows that.

  If I were her, I would try my best to protect this pce and every students inside it, while also contact the principal to make sure things are still under control.

  Fortunately, that’s exactly what she does, and that puts a smile on my face.

  “Heh, seems like my job here is done…Well, time to see if other pces need me or not…”

  Without anyone noticing, I slowly disappear in thin air, leaving the medical center behind.

  (Yasutaira Waka’s POV)

  “Hah!”

  Takenada-san is the first to attack.

  She dashes towards Kuroto-senpai and hits him with her sword. In a surprising twist, he morphs his arm into a stone shield and blocks the attack.

  “Kurgh…”

  “Oi oi kid, is that your best shot? Let me show you what a good attack is!”

  “Oh no you don’t!”

  Kuroto steps back to the side, making his opponent lose the momentum. Seeing that, I immediately run towards them as fast as I could. I draw my sword back, as I don’t think he’ll fall for it one more time.

  It seems like his pn is to morphs his hand into some kind of weapon and smack Takenada-san down, but too bad...

  “Argh!”

  Before he can even hit her, I kick him, saving my best friend from a brutal attack.

  “Now!”

  As I’m nding from the kick, I shout to Takenada-san, who just manages to regain her momentum. She turns around and swings her sword up, sending Kuroto-senpai flying.

  “[Spinning Ssh]!”

  I jump to the sky, higher than Kuroto-senpai. As I'm falling down, I spin around and deliver an overhead ssh right at his back, dropping him down to the ground.

  “And way down I go...”

  After the attack, I nd myself down right next to Takenada-san. She helps me get up, and before we can even say anything, we shift our focus to something, or should I say someone else.

  “Oh you kids...Not gonna lie, that hurts...” Kuroto-senpai said as he wiped the blood on his mouth.

  "Well, gd that you put away your stupid pride and say something nice. I almost wanted to spare you, “senpai”.” I responded jokingly.

  “Oh please, if you think saying that will intimidate me, then put some more work on it will ya?”

  “Sorry senpai, for I ck the ability to run my month. I prefer to run...these hands...”

  I draw out my sword, ready for the next attack. It didn’t take me too long to realize just what kind of person this “alter ego” is, and if I want to increase my winning chance, I need to use everything to my advantage.

  "Hahahaha, that’s the spirit kid. Now I can finally feel bad when I drag you to the mud and cut off that head of yours...”

  “Why you...”

  Hearing those words, Takenada-san clenches her fist in anger. She’s trying her best to keep her rage down, but when you’re at the boiling point, one small mistake is enough to turn things upside down.

  “Hey Takenada-san...”

  “Huh...Eh?”

  I hold Takenada-san’s hand with my left hand and grab my sword with my other one. This may seem like a weird change of pace, but it’s the only option I can think of right now.

  “Don’t listen to his nonsense. That’s not the Kuroto-senpai we know, so his words mean nothing. Besides, until the day our promise is kept, I won’t die, not to something like this.”

  “Yeah…Yeah you’re right. I’m sorry for making you worry.”

  “Well, I’m your best friend after all. I’m gd to have you with me even in these times.”

  You can’t save someone with a head hotter than the sun. Once we lose our cool, we’ll lose our only chance to free Kuroto-senpai from his own misery.

  “Oi oi, you’re done flirting each other? Why don’t you focus on the big gun here huh?”

  Saying those words, Kuroto-senpai summons a boulder and throws it at us. I let go of Takenada-san’s hand and quickly slice the boulder in half.

  “I got you this time kid, [Vanguard Pushback]!”

  Kuroto-senpai, now with his right hand morphed into a giant shield, runs toward me right after I destroyed the boulder. He coats it with a thick yer of magic, and that’s exactly what I did to my sword right before he touches me.

  “Hargh!”

  I manage to block his attack, but I still get pushed back a few meters. I struggle for a bit but eventually, I gain the advantage and stop his attack entirely.

  “Yasutaira-kun, watch out!”

  “Gehahahaha, it’s too te kid, [Invisible Cut]!”

  A chilling sensation starts running through my spine. It’s like a grim reaper holding a scythe at my neck, ready to send me to hell.

  Without saying any words, I immediately hop to the side, dodging a deadly attack that almost took my life just in time. Kuroto-senpai, now revert his hand back to normal, gives me and Takenada-san an angry look as I realize what just happened.

  “Tsk, annoying little snot…”

  Before I can even say anything else, Kuroto-senpai turns his attention to Takenada-san and charges at her. Fortunately, she’s quick to react and blocks the direct attack.

  “Hargh!!!”

  Realizing she’s getting pushed back, Takeanda-san powers up, creating her signature light wings to help countering her opponent. And just like me earlier, she manages to stop the attack completely.

  “Hold on, I’m coming!”

  “Not this time kid. [Hand Smasher]!”

  I speed up and come at them. Kuroto-senpai stomps his feet and immediately, I’m met with a giant hand made of stone above my head. I look up and pour more man into my weapon, ready to slice it.

  “[Scorpion Slices]!”

  I swing my sword in five different lines. Right after that, the hand is split in six pieces, ready to fall down at me. Of course, I have a backup pn for that…

  “[Disintegration Mana Wave]!”

  I swing my sword horizontally, creating a thick wave of mana that destroys the stone pieces entirely. It’s definitely not as strong as Tiamat’s, but for now, it’s more than enough.

  I still have time to perfect that skill, but first, there’s someone I need to save.

  “Hah!”

  In front of my eyes, Takenada-san is now in the middle of a one-on-one match with Kuroto-senpai.

  Takenada-san delivers an upward right to left diagonal ssh, but Kuroto-senpai easily dodges the attack. Immediately, she turns her body to the right, facing her opponent once again.

  This time, she cuts him horizontally, and then follows it up with a thrust right in his chest.

  “Gargh!”

  Kuroto-senpai hardens up his body, blocking Takenada-san’s thrust. Her agility is impressive, but it still isn’t enough to overwhelm Kuroto-senpai’s strength and durability.

  “Alright, I think this is it…”

  Patiently waiting for my chance, I take a deep breath before coming straight at them, inserting myself back into the fight.

  Swords alone won’t be enough to take the alter ego down, so maybe I should…approach him a different way.

  “[Roaring Fist]!”

  Accumuting mana in my arm, I approach Kuroto-senpai and punch his chest. Since my mana pool is uncalcutable, my arm now looks like it’s burning in furry. If a certain someone saw this, that person might kill me in an instant.

  “Argh!”

  Can’t hold it any longer, Kuroto-senpai starts gushing out blood as we strike him down on the ground. I hit him pretty hard, and with Takenada-san’s thrust combined, he’s not getting up any time soon.

  “Woah Yasutaira-kun, that’s amazing!”

  “Thanks, but let’s just save it for ter. Right now, we should really think of a pn to take him down. The st few minutes was quite…underwhelming…”

  “Yeah you’re right, we should have done better…It’s definitely a hard task when this is our first time, am I right?”

  “Hahaha…”

  Contrary to my previous fights, I never have the chance to fight alongside someone. The Kira one didn’t technically count, as Tiamat and I actually split up and fought on our own.

  “I think I have an idea. Hear me out on this.”

  Takenada-san then tells me what she has in mind. I found some fws in that idea, and since Kuroto-senpai is still not recovered from the attack, I point them out and alter her pn a bit.

  Of course, things can go not as we intended, but I have faith that we would be able to turn it around somehow.

  “Oi, you two *cough cough* are done talking? Make me ask that question one more time and I’ll butterfly your fleshes, got it?”

  Still coughing some bloods after the attack, Kuroto-senpai stands up threatens us.

  Both of us immediately get into fighting position after hearing those words. We have a pn in our mind, so now, it’s all about the execution.

  “Hah!”

  Powering up, I instantly run towards Kuroto-senpai with the sword on my hand. The stepping stone of our pn is me having the upper hand, and of course, he’s not letting me do that easily.

  “[Invisible Cut]!”

  Kuroto-senpai swings his sword a couple times and the sensation I felt earlier reappears. He must have thought that I was lucky the st time, and if that’s the case, then bad news…

  “[Lynx Strike]!”

  I dodge all of his attacks. As the distance between us is narrowing down, I dash to the right before running towards Kuroto-senpai and thrust him in the chest.

  “Argh!”

  Taking the hit directly without any precaution, Kuroto-senpai takes a few steps back as he’s holding his stomach in pain.

  “I’m not done senpai, take this!”

  Switching my grip, I deliver a vertical ssh. Unfortunately, this time, Kuroto-senpai successfully dodges my attack by jumping.

  “Rargh!!”

  Midair, Kuroto-senpai volley kicks me with his right feet. As I’m spinning around, he nds on the ground and uses that momentum to deliver a left hook on my face.

  I take a few steps back. He packed quite a punch there, but with [Super Strengthen Magic], the damage was minimalized. Knowing that, Kuroto-senpai morphs his right hand into a spiked mace ready to strike me.

  Little did he know, his action has increased our pn’s success rate, and unfortunately, there’s no stopping us now.

  “Takenada-san, catch!”

  Kuroto-senpai tries to hit me right in the middle of my chest, but I manage to grab his hand just in time. As he’s still struggling to free himself, I spin around and throw him to Takenada-san, who’s been powering up for a while now.

  “[Blooming Lights]!”

  With her eyes closed, Takenada-san raises her sword upwardly and activates her attack. I take a step back, admiring the scenery that’s unfolding in front of my eyes.

  “Amazing...” I said in awe.

  I’ve been told about this move, but this is the first time I’ve seen it in action.

  One of her best offense skills, [Blooming Lights], as the name suggested, creates a rose made out of lights. That rose as it’s blooming will drag the enemy floating around the arena, making it impossible to touch her.

  "Argh!!!”

  With each petal leaving the rose, it immediately flies off and attacks the victim. The amount of petals will depend on Takenada-san’s mana, and it seems like she’s not ending it any time soon.

  “Bam!”

  After a few minutes, Kuroto-senpai falls down on the ground, signifying the end of Takenada-san’s attack.

  I quickly regroup with her as I saw her down on her knee. She’s holding herself up with her sword, so at least she’s still somewhat fine.

  “Hey, are you alright?”

  “Yeah I’m good. That skill...*puff puff* really drained me out quite a lot, but I can still fight.”

  She’s breathing heavily, but not to the point of gasping for air. She manages to stand back up, but at this rate, she’ll gassed up soon.

  “*huff huff*...Bastards, stealing away all my fun...”

  Our focus shift right back to Kuroto-senpai as he finally gets back up.

  He’s quite pissed off and injured, so we now that our pn actually works. Of course, we can’t lower our guards, even after we just caught him by surprise.

  "Hargh!!!”

  Kuroto-senpai powers up. As he’s doing it, he petrifies his own sword, seemmingly absorbing it in the process. As much as I want to express my surprise, I have no other choice but to keep it for after the battle and focus on what’s he going to do next.

  “Rargh!”

  Like a wild beast that has finally been released from the cage, he charges at us.

  Both of his arms have been morphed into two spiked maces and in an effort to close the gap, he jumps up, then smashes the ground between us, splitting me and Takenada-san.

  We both manage to dodge Kuroto-senpai by stepping aside, meaning one of us will become his target. Unfortunately for me…

  “This is for tossing me into that stupid flower!”

  “Yasutaira-kun, watch out!”

  I’m that unlucky victim, as Kuroto-senpai runs angrily towards me and hits me with his left mace.

  “Kurgh!”

  I dodge to the right, and with the sword in my hand, I ssh Kuroto-senpai horizontally. He quickly steps back, but I immediately switch my grip and follow up with a single thrust right in his chest.

  “Argh…Not this time brat!”

  Instead of dodging my attack, he cacthes my sword and uses it to lift me up and drop me down the ground.

  “Argh!”

  As I’m still lying down, Kuroto-senpai throws my sword away and picks me back up. Grabbing my shirt colr, he delivers a back-to-back left jab at my face.

  As he prepares for his next attack, I punch his right arm, freeing myself from him. Not letting him has a chance to attack, I quickly nd a right uppercut and then a gut punch, knocking him down on the ground.

  “Grr…”

  I take a few steps back, as Kuroto-senpai immediately gets up after my counterattack. More pissed off than ever, he morphs his hands into some sort of weapon unchers with lots of spikes on them.

  “Pfft, very good…but let’s see if you can handle this! [Stone Shard Projectiles]!”

  From his hands, Kuroto-senpai shoots multiple stones shards at me. Those shards fly towards me with immense speed, making it a painful and torturous death for those that unlucky enough to be in its shooting range.

  “Hah! Hah! Hah!!!”

  Using each and every bit of martial art moves I learnt from Tiamat, I deflect most of the shards. Some still manage to cut me, but only shallowly.

  I’m still an amateur in this field, but with [Super Strengthen Magic], I can temporarily fill that gap, at least until I master all of her teaching.

  “What…Impossible!”

  Surprised by my effort, he starts increasing the number, trying to overwhelm me.

  “Hah!”

  Despite putting more work into his attack, he still can’t take me down. Not only that, I even manage to slowly close the gap between us, making all of his effort go down the drain.

  “Grr…[Stone Wall]!”

  Kuroto-senpai stops his attack. He then stomps his foot, summoning a giant wall that separates us. I don’t know if this is his new strategy or an act of cowardice and desperate, but I definitely need to do something with the wall.

  “Hargh!”

  I punch the wall, breaking it into pieces.

  As the wall is falling down, Kuroto-senpai reappears. His hands are back to normal, and that action has unintentionally proven my theory.

  “Gehahahaha! You think you have the upper hand huh? Look around boy!”

  Surrounding me are multiple boulders summoned by Kuroto-senpai. They’re all floating around, waiting to strike me at full force.

  “No matter how fast you are, there’s simply no escape from this! Nowhere in and nowhere out, this is your dead end Yasutaira!”

  I look around to confirm his words. As much as I hate to praise him, I can’t see myself getting out of here, at least not on my own. I could call Tiamat, but risking her identity for such small thing like this isn’t exactly a good idea.

  And in that moment, something catches my eyes. It seems like Kuroto-senpai hasn’t noticed it yet, so this is my only chance to turn the table.

  “I see, using them to corner me…no, torturing me. I appuse your effort Kuroto-senpai. Unfortunately…”

  Saying those words, I continuously walk towards Kuroto-senpai despite death is standing right around the corner. Those boulders could hit me any time, but senpai’s confusion is the reason why I can still do this bold move.

  “Two mistakes senpai.”

  “Huh? What are you yapping about?”

  “You made two mistakes Kuroto-senpai. First, you’re too hasty on taking me down. And that leads to the second one…”

  “[Light Cannon]!”

  “Argh!”

  From behind, a surprise attack hits Kuroto-senpai, knocking him down. That attack belongs to Takenada-san, who’s been patiently waiting for this opportunity.

  “You should have watched your back, senpai.” I said coldly.

  The moments all the boulders disappear, I stop approaching him. I instead go regroup with Takenada-san, ready for our next move.

  “Whew, that was a close call Takenada-san.”

  “Yeah, I thought that you wouldn’t make it, Yasutaira-kun. How’d you know that I was going to ambush him?” she asked.

  “Hmm, ambush? I didn’t exactly know that you were doing that. I only noticed it when I saw the light behind him. I think Kuroto-senpai focused too much on me, and that’s what made your sneak attack worked.”

  I said those words as we’re both looking at Kuroto-senpai on the ground. [Light Cannon] isn’t the “killing blow” type of attack, so it’s weird to see him lying on the ground like that. Either he’s trying to trick us, or…

  “Did you use too much mana on that attack, Takenada-san?”

  “Uhm well, you see…How do I say this…” she faltered.

  “Takenada-san!”

  “Ehehe, let’s just say I was a bit too overkill with my attack…”

  Someone’s back is going to hurt really bad after this, and it’s not for carrying something out of their league.

  Using the limited time before Kuroto-senpai gets back up, I scold Takenada-san. It’s not something too harsh, just little a reminder of what she should have done and we should do from now.

  If there’s one thing I learnt from Tiamat, it’s restraining and conserving your energy during battle. That’s the whole point of my training: control and release the right amount at the right time.

  What she’s done is the exact opposite of that. I’m not bming her, since I can’t just control all of her actions to my liking.

  “Don’t worry, it’s not your fault. You were just trying to help me, and that’s all I care about. Right now, let’s just focus on what’s important shall we?”

  Takenada-san nods in agreement and joy. We fist pump each other, just in time for Kuroto-senpai to recover.

  (Tiamat’s POV)

  “So, how’re the kids?”

  “Could have been worse.”

  Right now, I’m outside the training grounds, now used as the evacuation spots. Since they are the closest to the arena, they become the perfect hideout for the students, at least for now.

  The moment I teleported to the pce, I was greeted by Ms. Kiriwatari, the principal of the academy, and immediately she told me about the situation inside.

  Since they’re at least a few hundred spectators, is hard for one person to control the crowds simultaneously. Thus, she and the teachers are in charge of doing so.

  The students while still a little bit panic from the incident at first, were quick to accept and adapt the situation. But of course, not everyone is on board with it…

  “Sensei, let go of me!”

  “Calm down Rina-chan. The principal told us to stay inside until things are under control…”

  “And let Kuroto-kun’s rampage destroy us all? Sensei, I’m his css monitor, so at least I demand an expnation!”

  As Ms. Kiriwatari and I are heading inside one of the training grounds, the teacher in charge of the pce is trying her best to convince this Rina girl to stay inside and wait.

  It seems like she’s in the same css as the arrogant kid, and from her meltdown, this Rina girl is urged to just go out there and stop things all by herself.

  As much as I want to empathize with her feelings, her teacher has all the right to put her down.

  Our lovely principal right here had vowed to protect her students at all cost, so she won’t treat them as soldiers without her permission.

  I can respect that, and since that’s also what Master wants, the least I can do is to make sure that her words will never bite her back.

  “It’s alright Yuna-sensei, there’s no need to stop her.”

  The teacher does what she’s being told and lets the girl go. She then confronts Ms. Kiriwatari and as expected, she starts venting out her frustration.

  “Please sensei, let me get out and put a stop to him. I can’t just stand here and do nothing!”

  “I’m sorry Rina-chan, I can’t. Things aren’t simple like that.”

  “What’s there to digest more sensei? Kuroto-kun has gone insane and now we need to take him down before it’s too te. We are more than capable of doing it, so please sensei, at least leave the job to one of us.”

  The girl holds Ms. Kiriwatari’s hands in hope of convincing her. The entire conversation has caught everyone’s attention, and thus their curiosity has once again ignited.

  The entire training ground is now flooded with whispering and wondering regards the incident. No matter how talented you are, controlling these many people is just too much.

  But lucky for you Ms. Kiriwatari, you’re not alone in this battle.

  “Hey.”

  “Huh, Tiamat? What is it?”

  Through [Telepathic Line], I quickly contacted Ms. Kiriwatari.

  I’m not interested in sidetracking her, there’s nothing fun about it at all. In fact, it’s better to offer her a way to settle this…little matter…

  “The pn, it’s time to do “it”.”

  With just a few words, she immediately understands what I’m referring. But in order to do it, there’s a few conditions to be made.

  “Rina-chan, I think you, no, everyone here needs to see the bigger picture.”

  “The bigger picture?”

  As the Rina girl is still confusing, Ms. Kiriwatari lets go of her hands and takes out her smartphone.

  “Huh, sensei, what are you doing?”

  “I’ll expin it right away, Rina-chan. But first, Yuna-sensei, can you hand me the microphone?”

  “Ah yes, here you go.”

  “Thanks, Yuna-sensei. Ahem…Attention, students of Kiriwatari Academy!”

  The entire crowds stop their muttering and gather around Ms. Kiriwatari-sensei. I take a step back, enjoying the beautiful scenery that’s about to happen.

  “As we’ve known by now, one of our students is going rogue due to the affection of illegal substances. I know there’s a lot to unpack, and I’m here to answer them all.”

  Doing some typing, she raises her hand to the side, projecting a hologram from her phone. The students and teachers look at the hologram with curiosity, but it won’t be long until they know the truth.

  “This is [Mana Boosting Steroids], an illegal enhancing drug also known as [M.B.S]. It’s a product of the terrorist organization [Rising Phoenix] and it’s has been floating around for a few months now.”

  What she’s projecting on the hologram are images from her investigation, including the ones at the arrogant kid’s house.

  She’s not going too deep into details for obvious reason, but with what’s shown right know, it’s more than enough.

  As expected, the crowds’ first reaction is filled with visible confusion and disbelief. They knew something was wrong with the kid back in the arena, but [Rising Phoenix] isn’t something they counted on.

  “As a high-ranking [Knight], I’m the one in charge of investigating the case. Unfortunately, before I even knew it, it was in the hand of the wrong person. And now, the Kuroto-kun we once know might be gone forever…”

  Even if I’m standing behind her, I can still feel the disappointment and sadness in her, which is something the crowds are witnessing. Her heart must have skipped a beat when she found out about it.

  “I don’t even know how to express about this, but there’s one thing I know: We need to stop his rampage, not by beating him, but by saving him from his own misery.”

  These kids are smart; I can give them that. But to process all of the recent information…it’s just too much for some of them.

  “Sensei, what should we do?”

  “Sensei, is there a way to stop him?”

  “Will Kuroto-senpai be okay sensei?”

  Questions after questions, the hubbub has completely dominated the pce. The teachers try their best to settle down the crowds, but they soon realize it’s impossible and give up entirely.

  Despite all the chaos, Ms. Kiriwatari’s face remains unchanged, as she and I had already anticipated this. It’s not easy killing off all the noises, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done…

  “Everyone, please calm down. I understand your concerning, and that’s why I already sent someone for the job.”

  Ms. Kiriwatari then switches the hologram, this time it’s the profiles of two students. Everyone here except the two of us has mixed feeling about what’s shown, as none of them knows why their principal would pick the “duo” for the battle.

  “Sensei, is this some kind of joke? Why would you pick “him” for something this important?”

  The Rina girl expresses her confusion as for why Yasutaira Waka, nickname [The Heretic], alongisde his best friend Takenada Mistuko are the ones fighting against the arrogant kid.

  [White Princess] the crowds can give a pass, but they just can’t fathom the fact that someone like Master was chosen. In their eyes, he’s still a Magica that can’t use magic, so their reaction is justified.

  Unlike us, none of them has ever seen Master in action, so they just don’t know what he’s capable of. Lucky for them, they’ll soon know a fraction of Master’s power.

  “No Rina-chan, this is no joke. Over the st two months, I’ve seen his outstanding progress, and I can confidently say that he’s the perfect choice for the job.”

  Master’s profile, now with more details and stats, has everyone’s attention, as they didn’t expect something out of him at all.

  “Yasutaira-kun is among the selected few in this world who can master [Super Strengthen Magic] to some extent, and not only that, he pyed a crucial part on the rescue mission at Miller Mega Center. And now, as a low-ranking [Knight], he’s doing everything he can to save Kuroto-kun.”

  Ms. Kiriwatari’s words didn’t die down the chatting, but it definitely change the atmosphere to a more…positive state. There’re still doubts about Master, but as time passes, more people are willing to give him a chance.

  Standing in front of the crowds, I crank a faint smile.

  Gaining the entire academy’s trust after just two months is impossible, but seeing the gradual change in their hearts…it’s a sign of Master going on the right direction.

  “Uhm sensei…”

  “What is it Rina-chan?”

  “Yasutaira-kun…he can be trusted right?”

  “Yes Rina-chan. I don’t know if everyone is fully on board with this, but there’s one thing I know: That kid can work some miracles, even when the world is against him.”

  “I see…”

  Sometimes, a little push is more than enough to change everything.

  In this case, it does just that. Ms. Kiriwatari alongside the Rina girl has managed to convince most of the crowds to trust them time by time.

  Some of them are still a bit skeptical, but they still decide to do what they were told and stay inside the training grounds until things settle down.

  They haven’t fully trusted Master yet, but disobeying and betraying their own principal isn’t exactly a better idea. They know she has a pn, and that’s something they can pce their bets on.

  At least, that’s what I heard from them.

  “You know, these students are more mature than you think, Ms. Kiriwatari.”

  “How do you know…Never mind, pretty sure I already got the answer.”

  Through [Telepathic Line], I once again contact Ms. Kirwatari, who’s now more relieved after finally putting out the fires. She’s more calm and collective than before, but I can still sense a bit of unsureness in her.

  “They can be chaotic and insecure at times, sure, but their minds are quite sharpened for someone who never once experienced war. They still have a long way to go, but with their rock-solid foundations, I’m sure they’ll go far.”

  “That’s…quite a compliment coming from you Tiamat…” Ms. Kiriwatari said jokingly.

  “I hate humanity for their stupidity and bad-timing recklessness, and that’s only on the surface level. These kids, however, can get a pass from me. Nobody is perfect, but at least they have the balls to actually know when to back down instead of ruining everything. That alone is enough for me to not bel them as “dumb beyond saving”. And trust me, you don’t want to know how many levels there are to my list.”

  “Now that’s the goddess I know.”

  “Hahaha…”

  While the students are pnning on what to do next, Ms. Kiriwatari and I decide to have a little conversation. These kids won’t interfere the battle, but that doesn’t mean they’ll lower their guard.

  As time flies, with the help of their trustworthy principal, they finally come up with an initial pn to protect themselves and the academy in case the arrogant kid has some uninvited allies.

  “Well, I guess there’s only one pce left to go…”

  Without anyone noticing, I slowly disappear from the evacuation spots, heading to the next and final destination.

  (Yasutaira Waka’s POV)

  "Hargh!”

  With the sword in my hand, I ssh Kuroto-senpai downwardly.

  Unfortunately, he was faster and block my attack with his morphed stone shield.

  "Gehahaha, take this!”

  Kuroto-senpai swings his other arm. Immediately, I feel that deadly sensation again, meaning he uses [Invisible Cut] on me.

  "Whoosh!”

  I quickly tilt my head, dodging the strike entirely. That move had managed to hit me successfully a few times, but for the most part, either I evaded them all, or the cuts weren’t deep enough.

  “Tsk, almost got him...”

  “Takenada-san, now!”

  As I’m rolling to the side, I signal Takenada-san to jump in. By switching between fighting as a duo and on our own, we thought we could confuse and exhaust Kuroto-senpai. And we were right.

  Taking the slight advantage I gained, Takenada-san pours mana into her sword and flies to Kuroto-senpai.

  “[Angelic Crash]!”

  This time, he doesn’t react quick enough and thus, he takes the thrust to his chest entirely.

  “Kargh!”

  Gushing out bloods, Kuroto-senpai falls back a few meters. As he’s lying on the ground, he holds his chest in pain, struggling to recover from the attack.

  "Yasutaira-kun, are you alright?” Takenada-san asked as she’s running towards me.

  “Yeah I’m fine, that won’t be the case if we can't find a way to finish the pn in time...”

  I breath heavily as I’m struggling to get up. The battle has drained our energy out quite a lot, and that’s for a good reason.

  Our “trump card” hasn’t arrived yet, so we had to come up with something to buy times, thus the strategy was formed. The downside of it however is that the more it drags out, the more exhausted we become.

  It's a risky move, but as long as Kuroto-senpai stays where we want him to be, we’ll gdly take it.

  “Pfft, bastards...YOU THINK YOU’RE THE SHIT HUH? WELL GUESS WHAT, YOU’RE WRONG, YOU’RE ALL WRONG! ONCE I’M DONE RIPPING OFF YOUR BRAINS AND INTERNAL ORGANS, I’LL HANG YOUR ASS UP ON A CROSS AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR PRINCIPAL’S STUPID FACE! MARK MY WORDS!!!”

  Angrily shouting, Kuroto-senpai powers up agressively. Despite being as gassed up as us, he still manages to whip out such power. I can’t read his mind, but his face heavily suggests that he’s going all out on us.

  His bursting, out of control rage combines with the blood on his mouth gives off the vibe of someone who just doesn’t care anymore. All we need is a guitar riff and something might just snap inside of him.

  “You know Yasutaira-kun, after this fight, let’s just call it a day. You’re fine with a week right?” Takenada-san said jokingly.

  "Well I dont’t know, I don’t want to skip css. Although, we might get that one-week off regardless...”

  Depsite the living embodiment of “chaotic madness” is going to charge at us, we somehow remain calm and rexed.

  It’s not like we’re giving up or anything, in fact just like Kuroto-senpai, this will be our final blow. I have a trick up my sleeve, and I’m telling Takenada-san right away. But first...

  “Hey Tiamat, you’re finally here right?”

  “Yes Master. Don’t worry, that kid won’t see, sense or even know my existence.”

  “Perfect. There’s going to be a light show in just a few minutes, don’t miss out on it OK?”

  "Got it Master!”

  Through [Telepathic Line], I had a quick conversation with Tiamat, telling her to get into the position. I also told her about what I’m going to do, that after it’s done, she’ll get us to the medical center as quick as possible.

  Her appearance will be the important cherry on top after our final blow. Without her, our pn will crumble into pieces. We might win the battle, but we’ll also lose the war as well.

  In other words, she’s the key to our ultimate goal.

  “Hey Takenada-san, you can still hear me right?”

  “Loud and clear Yasutaira-kun.”

  “Then hear me out. I think I have something that might work for the two, no, three of us.”

  “Really?”

  “Well yeah. But there’s a catch: I haven’t mastered this technique yet, so I can’t quite control the amount of mana used for it. I’m literally betting our lives on this one.”

  “But it’ll work right?” Takenada-san asked as she’s holding my hand.

  I don’t want to lie to my own best friend, as I myself don’t even sure if it works or not. But telling the truth isn’t the better option either.

  “It’ll work Master, even if I have to stitch up your broken body parts. You can do this.”

  “Haha, thanks Tiamat.”

  As I’m still uncertain about using the move, Tiamat reassure me and boost my confident in her very own way. Hearing those words, I can only ugh it off, but in a positive way.

  “Yes Takenada-san, we’ll make it work together.”

  While still holding her hand, I transfer my own mana to Takenada-san. Immediately, the sky blue aura covers both of us, making our power combined on par with Takabeya-senpai and Atagi-senpai in their peak.

  “Woah, this feeling…It’s amazing. Is that…”

  “Yeah, this is the technique I’ve been working on for the past weeks: [Mana Synchronizer]. It’s nothing too special, but it this scenario, it might be just the thing we need.

  Receiving an unexpected gift, Takenada-san expresses her excitement mixed with a bit of confusion. As the name suggests, I combine my mana with Takenada-san’s, eventually increasing our power altogether.

  “Eh Yasutaira-kun, are you good?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine…Let me just…”

  The downside of [Mana Synchronizer], as I mentioned earlier, is that I can’t control the mana flow properly, therefore it’s draining me out more than I wanted to. Lucky for me, I have plenty left in my tank, so one final blow is doable.

  “So what’s next Yasutaira-kun? I can do a lot with this newfound power, but what exactly should we end this fight with?”

  “The move you used back in the first round. That’s should do the trick. Don’t worry, I’ll also mix it with my very own attack as well.”

  “I see…Then let’s do this Yasutaira-kun!”

  Letting go of Takenada-san’s hand, I retrieve my sword. I then switch to holding Takenada-san’s sword with her, ready for our final strike.

  “Huh, so that’s why he takes so long…”

  “Yeah Master, I’m quite surprised, although I expected to be sooner…”

  As we’re charging up our attack, Kuroto-senpai summons multiple stone golems behind him. I can count at least one hundred, and all of them have their arms morphed into bdes as well, including Kuroto-senpai.

  “GEHAHAHA! BEHOLD, MY [GOLEM ARMY]! WITH THIS, I’LL DESTROY YOU AND EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND LOVE! PREPARE YOURSELF DIPSHIT, AS I’M ABOUT TO POUND YOU SO HARD THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS BEG FOR MERCY AS I’M TEARING EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR WORTHLESS LIFE APART!”

  “HOORAH! HOORAH! HOORAH!”

  The golems behind Kuroto-senpai immediately follow his shouting up with their nonstop cheering. The fact that those golems can talk to some extend is quite impressive and terrifying at the same time.

  Without a doubt, he’s pnning to take over this academy and turn it into a horrifying graveyard.

  “We’re so going to therapy after this Yasutaira-kun.”

  “I…don’t think it’ll be enough…”

  Despite the intense situation of fighting hundreds of enemies simultaneously, we’re still cracking jokes like it’s just another Tuesday. Unfortunately for Kuroto-senpai, we’re doing this as a mental preparation for what’s to come, as we’re about to crush his little invasion into pieces.

  “GOLEMS, ATTACK!”

  “HOORAH! HOORAH! HOORAH!”

  Kuroto-senpai gives out an attack command and immediately, the golems start running towards us, with him leading them to us. The ground shakes to the golems’ rampage, and we barely stay up during it.

  The sounds of hundreds of golems running at someone altogether will catch quite the attention. Even worse, it might piss off a certain someone that’s close to this pce…

  “This stupid kid…He never knows when to keep it down…”

  As the sword is turning gold, Tiamat grumbles angrily. I can tell that she doesn’t have a good impression of Kuroto-senpai, so she’ll be annoyed by basically all of his wrongdoings.

  “Don’t worry Tiamat, I’m sure he’ll know his pce soon…” I replied jokingly.

  Wielding the sword, we take a deep breath and close our eyes. In this very mere moment, the world around us feels like it’s stopping.

  There’s no sound to be heard, nothing to feel and nothing to taste. All there’s left is a bck endless void surrounding us, trying to devour and spit us out like a gum. And eventually…

  “[Golden Judgement Strike]!!!”

  From the deepest pit of the abyss, a golden light rises above everything. Slowly but strong, that golden light shines through the endless void, bringing hope and faith to the pce once possessed by darkness and hatred.

  “Im…Impossible!!!”

  We raise the sword up high and swing it down. The attack is a combination of [Judgement Strike] and [Golden Justice] and as a result, a giant golden beam emerges from the sword and heads straight to the golem army.

  “Kurgh…How is this…WHERE ARE YOU GETTING ALL OF THIS POWER FROM!???”

  Kuroto-senpai is the first to take the hit. He tries his best to deflect the attack, but not only does he fails, he’s also getting pushed back by the beam in the process.

  Eventually, the beam also reaches the soldiers behind Kuroto-senpai, pushing them back as well. Just like their boss, they try to tank the attack and they also fail miserably.

  “Now Takenada-san!”

  We pour the rest of our remaining mana into the attack, making it bigger and more powerful than ever. Eventually, the golden beam overwhelms Kuroto-senpai and his golem soldiers.

  “ARGH!!!”

  No longer hold it anymore, Kuroto-senpai alongside the golems gets sent off our eyesight. He’s going to survive the attack according to Tiamat, but not the golems. They have disintegrated into thin air, no trace left behind.

  “Boom!”

  An explosion roars through the sky and we’re sent flying back as the result. The light beam eventually disappears as we no longer have enough gas to maintain it.

  We drop the sword to the ground, breathing heavily. Thanks to [Super Strengthen Magic], I managed to ignore almost all the fatigue and injures, but now, they’re crawling back to my body.

  “Hey Yasutaira-kun.”

  “Hmm?”

  “We finally made it right?”

  With the little remaining strength, Takenada-san talks to me, who’s now also lying on the ground due to the exhaustion.

  “Yeah, we made it.”

  Still breathing heavily, I muster out what’s left and respond. My mouth can still move, but the same can’t be said to my entire body. It’s no use trying to get up for the moment, so I’ll just leave it the way it is.

  “Huh, I don’t see Kuroto-senpai anywhere. I guess we overdid a bit back then…”

  As expected, Kuroto-senpai doesn’t show up at all. There’s a few possibilities, including the negative ones. Lucky for us, those aren’t the case.

  More specifically, those aren’t allowed to be the case.

  “Master, I got him.”

  “Good, then do what you have to do Tiamat.”

  “Roger that Master!”

  My little talk with Tiamat is the st memory I have, as just right after that, my mind shuts down. The battle against Kuroto-senpai’s alter ego has officially come to an end.

  “Huh, where am I?”

  As my conscious is coming back, a shining light strikes me in the eyes. My body still feels very heavy, but at least I can move.

  I get up, trying to figuring out where this pce is.

  I don’t see any other bed than mine, so I’m in a private room. There’re bandages everywhere on my body, and I’m not wearing my uniform nor carrying my sword.

  Not the mention the facilities, the equipment…It’s not something I’m too familiar with, but at the same time, I don’t feel out of pce at all. That’s when the realization hits.

  I’m inside Kiriwatari Academy’s medical center, more specifically the ICU room.

  Knowing that, I immediately look out the window. The sun is coming down, so I must have been hospitalizing for a few hours now.

  And if I’m here, does that mean…

  “Oh Yasutaita-kun, you’re awake.”

  A familiar voice catches my attention.

  Behind the door, Ms. Lisa, the head doctor of the medical center, calls my name as she’s going in. With a smile on her face, Ms. Lisa takes a sit right next to my bed with a clipboard on her hand.

  “You know Yasutaira-kun, this pce hasn’t been this lively in a while. Never knew it can be achieved with just one individual…” she said jokingly.

  “Haha, I’m sure whoever that person is, they must feel very proud of it…”

  After that, Ms. Lisa starts expining to me about my current condition, which is something I’m dying to know.

  In shorts, despite going through a tough battle, I was only passing out due to exhaustion. All of my injuries, while severe, aren’t that life-threatening. I’ll be back at full strength in less than two weeks.

  “I see…Honestly, I expected it to be worse, but this…this isn’t bad at all.”

  Staying in bed for two weeks will certainly affect my study, not to mention my part-time job. I’ll be able to move freely soon, but I don’t think Sukeno-san will allow me to be in the kitchen when my movements have temporarily lost their sharpness.

  Luckily, Ms. Lisa guarantees me that it won’t happen.

  She tells me that while I was still in coma, Kiriwiratari-sensei had decred a one-week off for the academy, starting from next week. As a result, the final semester test will be postponed to early July.

  As for this year’s [Summer Tournament], it has been cancelled. Normally the students would be mad about it, but in this scenario, they gdly accepted it. Of course, she also promised something special for next year, so it’s not entirely a lose-lose situation.

  “As expected from sensei, she really cares about us…Uhm so Ms. Lisa, how’s Takenada-san? Is she OK?”

  “Oh she’s in another room, and she’s totally fine too. Although she hasn’t woken up, I’m sure she’ll be any time soon.”

  “Really? That’s great!”

  Relieved by the great news, I smile in joy. I almost reach my arms to hug Ms. Lisa, but I soon realize it’s a bad idea and decide to stay still.

  “Oh my, you two are sure very close to each other huh…It almost feels like you’re…lovers…”

  “Haha, I hate to disappoint you but...We’re not in that kind of retionship, Ms. Lisa.”

  “Really? Her reaction said otherwise, Yasutaira-kun.”

  “Oh dear...What did she do?” I asked.

  “Oh nothing much. You know, both of you actually passed out roughly the same time. While you’re one heave sleepers, she loved to talk, like a lot.”

  “That...doesn’t sound good...”

  “Maybe. A big fat sausage with maple syrup doesn’t sound appetizing at all, am I right?”

  Yup, that's just wrong on so many levels.

  I don’t know how did she sleep, mainly because it’s not my concern, but that...that’s just a joke Tiamat would crack here and there. And the worst part is? I’ve never once heard her said it.

  “I don’t want to brag but...As someone who’s been working in the culinary industry, I’d rather eat grilled squids with honey drizzled on it that whatever monstrosity she came up with in her dream...”

  "Oh my, what an interesting choice of words Yasutaira-kun.”

  I’m sorry Takenada-san, it has to be done.

  I know people has a passion for weird food combinations, but that...Words cannot describe how I feel about it. It won’t get out of my head any time soon, of course unless I ask “her” to do the job.

  And speaking of her...

  “Uhm so Ms. Lisa, Nahoka-senpai is here too right? I hope she’s doing fine also.”

  “Don’t worry Yasutaira-kun, she’s fine. It’ll take her three weeks to fully recover, and her parents are fine with it as well, so I say things are going pretty smoothly.”

  Nahoka-senpai volunteered to stall Kuroto-senpai, so I’m a bit worried about her current state. Hearing the news really lifts the weight off my shoulders. But that’s not the end of everything.

  “However, there’s something else we should worry about. Here, take this.”

  Ms. Lisa hands me a piece of paper from her clipboard. It doesn’t take me long to know what’s inside the paper, but what I’m surprised is how she got it...

  “You know Yasutaira-kun, I was shocked to know what you’ve been hiding. Not only that, the fact that she herself handed it to me like it’s nothing scared me you know?”

  What Ms. Lisa gave me it’s my updated stats printed out. It’s the uncut version, meaning it includes Tiamat, a literal goddess.

  Reveal this information to the whole world would guarantee chaos across the globe, so until the right time comes, I'll have to try my best to limit the pool.

  But to just casually tell someone like that...What exactly was on your mind Tiamat?

  "I still haven’t been able to digest all of it...But I do know that you must have your reasons for your action right? Being cautious and everything?”

  “Ah yes, that is correct Ms. Lisa.”

  “Then I won't go further down this rabbit hole, unless I’m forced to do it. Honestly, I might have a heart attack if this became a recurring theme of yours.”

  “Hahaha...”

  We then talk for a bit more, mainly Ms. Lisa noting me what to do during my recovery. After that, she leaves the room, and that is how my day ends.

  (Tiamat’s POV)

  [Holy Church]

  Another massive force that’s been around since forever. They have members all across the world, regardless of the difference in their ideologies and theologies.

  [Holy Church] and [Knights of Tomorrow] were once great allies, but ever since the [Project Otherworld], things took a drastic turn for both parties. They haven’t been on good terms for at least ten years, but that’s about to change.

  “Oh dear, what a pleasant surprise this is…”

  Inside of a church right here in Tokyo, a nun wholeheartedly greets Ms. Kiriwatari and me, who just put the arrogant kid on the seating.

  She’s a member of [Holy Church] and also the one who we contacted earlier. This meeting right here is the final touch of our grand pn.

  I was honored to be the one saving the Kuroto kid after being defeated by Master and his best friend, mainly because I’m the only one what can pull it off.

  Since abusing [M.B.S] will create a dangerous and unpredictable alter ego, that kid left us no choice but to destroy that alter ego before it’s too te.

  Master’s attack only put him in a coma, so I went further and put the “alter ego” into eternal sleep, never again awakens. As the results, the kid shrunk down a bit, and now, only half of his body is made out of stone.

  After that, I carried the kid to [Holy Church], where they agreed beforehand to help us find the cure. Despite not on good terms, they still have some respects for Ms. Kiriwatari, and that’s enough for them to put aside their differences for once.

  “You know we don’t do human sacrifice here right?” the nun said jokingly said.

  “Oh we know, and that’s why we’re here. This kid needs salvation, and what better pce to do it than a church, correct?” Ms. Kiriwatari went along with her.

  “I see, then follow me.”

  The nun leads us outside to the small garden behind the church. There’s a variety of flowers in this garden and even a chapel right in the corner. But that’s now what we’re here for.

  “Huh, now that’s something…” I whispered.

  As we’re walking alongside her, a magic circle appears toward the end of the pathway. The circle isn’t something a normal Magica would encounter on a daily basis, but to me, it’s just another treasure I own.

  “[Holy Gate].”

  The nun casts a spell and a golden gate rises from the ground. It’s the same kind of magic as my [Portal], but with more limitations.

  “This way dies. And by the way, you can call me Sister Nina.”

  We go through the opening gate. A wide space appears in front of our eyes. Without batting an eye, I can already tell that the sky and the surrounding atmosphere are simuted based on the real world.

  “Huh, impressive…”

  A giant five-story hexagonal building can be seen in the middle of this space. After a quick scan, I can tell this building is equipped with enough facilities for rear and front line members. And that’s not all.

  “We had built this pce even before this church began conceptualizing. Our mission is to protect Earth from external crisis and mythical threats across the pnet, kinda like the movies with those gentlemen in bck suits.” Sister Nina said.

  “And by referencing that movie, what you’re trying to say is…” I asked.

  “Yes, species and races that aren’t human have been resided in Earth for a long time, and if they wanted, they could choose to stay here in this building.”

  After the “shocking” reveal, we step our foot inside the building. It’s definitely on the high-tech side, with white and dark color as the main colors. In every corner of the building, there’s an elevator avaible any time in the day.

  In the middle of the building, there’re multiple training grounds with enough toys to hold a few dozen people at the same time. Sister Nina further expins to me that they also use the ground for testing new technologies, and those processes won’t affect the inside at all.

  Back inside, a variety of creatures can be seen walking around the building, including vampires, elves, goblins, werewolves and more. They’re quite friendly, but don’t be fooled by their hostility.

  At full strength, they can easily give Master a run for his money. Of course, it won’t be the case in the future, but for now, that’s where things stand.

  “Huh, there’re more familiar faces than I expected…”

  There isn’t many aliens here in this building, mainly because according to Sister Nina, they after our help decided to either return to their home pnet or call Earth their new home.

  For those who chose to stay, they disguise themselves to blend in, as it would be horrible if their identity were revealed to the world. Other species do the same, as contrary to the media’s portrayal, their appearances are way more humanoid.

  “Hello, how can I help you?”

  A vampire receptionist greets us. Sister Nina tells her where we’re heading to and she immediately guilds us to the elevator. She also gives us the map to the pce just in case we need it before saying goodbye to us and leave.

  “Now I know Ms. Kiriwatari here already felt like home, but as for our new blood, things here work quite simple actually: The Pope is the one in charge of everything, with Cardinals as his assistants. Below them are archbishops, and as the name implies, they with the help of the bishops run the [Bases] across the country they’re assigned for. And I assume you can clearly see the pattern here.”

  After a bit of expining, we finally arrive at the third floor. According to the map, it’s to the right, next to the nearest toilet room, meaning we only have to walk for a few more minutes.

  “[Medical Clinic] huh…” I whispered.

  “Yes, even though every floor has a clinic, this one specializes in rehabilitation from illegal substances. I’m sure the kid will find this pce…comfortable.” Sister Nina said.

  She then grants access to the room through hand and eye scanning. As we’re inside, I immediately look around to see if there’s anyone in this room.

  “Eh, n…n…Sister Nina? What an honor! How…How can I help…y…you?”

  Behind the office desk, a shy, rather bashful girl with messy long light blonde hair hurriedly stands up and greets us.

  Judging from her clothes, she’s the one in charge of this room. As she’s shaking our hands, I can already tell she’s not good when there’s people around her.

  It’s not a complete red fg, but it’s very concerning regardless.

  “It’s alright Kanna-chan, there’s no need to be shy. I’m here because there’s a [Case 4] that these dies over here want us to help with.”

  “[Case 4]?” I asked.

  “It’s the codename for [Illegal Enhancing Drugs]. The names can be pretty mouthful at times, so they decided to shorten them using [Case].” Ms. Kiriwatari expined.

  After that, she and Sister Nina tell the head doctor about the kid’s situation, with a few details being left out of course. After a quick look at the kid, she then tells us to put him on the bed so she can have a further look.

  As Kanna-chan is checking the kid, I take a good look at the room to see just how capable this pce truly is.

  The room continues the theme of its base, with an office desk to the right and a few seats nearby. Both of them are very close to the door, as the rest of the pce is filled with equipment and bookshelves used for rehab treatment.

  “Oh dear, this isn’t looking too good…”

  “Hmm, why so doc?” I asked.

  “He’s fine for now, but without proper care…He won’t make it. This [M.B.S] drugs…it’s like a double-edge sword. It gives you a boost in power…and in return, takes away your life and sanity. If I have those drugs in hand, I can definitely work up an antidote for this kid…”

  Ms. Kiriwatari gives Kanna-chan a bag filled with pill bottles and needles to her. They’re evidences she got from the dealers, as the rest had been consumed by the arrogant kid.

  “Well, this and some of his blood sample might just be enough…”

  Receiving the bag, Kanna-chan returns to her desk and puts it on the table. She then makes a few phone calls while we’re sitting in the chairs waiting.

  “Huh, she’s pretty energetic for a somewhat introvert, I’m quite surprised.” I said.

  “Well, that’s Kanna-chan for you. She can be clumsy at times, but her work ethic is what makes her special. The kid is in good hand, I can assure you that.”

  After that, the three of us spend the next few hours talking about various topics, including the history of [Holy Church] and their fall off with [Knights of Tomorrow].

  “I see…quite ambitious isn’t it?” I said.

  “Yeah, never knew that [Holy Church] is interested in that kind of thing, and even more surprising, they actually had the tools to do it…”

  Turns out, [Project Otherworld] was to create portal for intergactic travelling. Considering this is 2012, it’s quite impressive.

  That is until a small malfunction that led to several deaths, including members from [Knights of Tomorrow]. Since [Project Otherworld] is cssified information, Sister Nina can’t go into further details about it, and that’s where our curiosity ends.

  “Do you know anything about it?” I asked Ms. Kiriwatari through [Telepathic Line].

  “Only recently. Like she said, those information aren’t easy to access, so I’m quite literally learning about it day by day. But there’s one major thing I discovered.”

  “And that is?”

  “Yasutaira-kun’s parents…They were there when the incident happened.”

  Well that’s a big bomb to drop.

  Master once told me they were retired veterans, but that’s all he knows since they like Sister Nina never went into details about what they’d done. They told him he’d know when the time came, and unfortunately, I’m proving them right.

  To think that Master’s parents had that kind of connection…it’s not far from impossible, but it’s definitely an interesting thing to know.

  “Huh. So have you figured out why they were there? Or it’s still a mystery?” I asked.

  “The tter, unfortunately. I’m still working on it, and fixing our retionship will benefit it a lot. Many a little makes a mickle am I right?”

  “Yeah.”

  With that, our little conversation ends, as we spend the next thirty minutes notifying the arrogant kid’s parents about their son’s situation, sorting out some crucial details in the process.

  After that, we say goodbye to the doctor and leave the building, returning to our normal life.