-129- Different pursuit

No matter which world it is, spatial manipulation abilities are both rare and advanced.

In this world, it's no different.

Spatial transfer.

This type of magic, Rozen was naturally familiar with it.

In the past, during a singularity event in Chaldea, Rozen had briefly achieved spatial transfer using the power of command seals, summoning Mash, who was his Servant, from another location.

Therefore, Rozen knew that spatial transfer was a highly advanced form of magic. Unless you were a Magus from the divine era, it was nearly impossible for an individual to achieve such a feat.

This world was the same; spatial transfer was a very high-level magic. Even when integrated into an automaton through magic circuits, it usually required several puppets to work together to execute it perfectly. Without this precise cooperation, the risk of errors was high—like getting transported into the ground or inside a wall, leading to a dead end.

Given this, automata with spatial abilities were as rare as finding a needle in a haystack. Even if one searched the whole world, there might be fewer than a hundred of them, and some might even be unusable types.

However, now, there was an automaton with such spatial abilities right beside Akabane Tenzen.

And what's more, she had successfully used it on her own.

But that was only natural, right?

"Our Akabane clan has always excelled at controlling multiple puppets for group combat. Magic that requires several puppets to cooperate can be accomplished by a single person using our 'Puppetry Arts.' It's because of this that the Akabane clan has the confidence to rise in this era. Indeed, this era belongs to us, the Akabane."

Akabane Tenzen lifted his gaze and looked at Rozen.

"Just, this talent is too enviable. It might be better to reduce the number of those capable of using it. Don't you think?"

These words sounded like a challenge to Rozen's patience, and they were nothing like something the past Akabane Tenzen would say.

"Are you really Tenzen?"

Rozen stared fixedly at Akabane Tenzen.

Why did this kind and amiable older brother from the past suddenly change like this?

"You, could it be..."

Rozen was about to say something, but he was abruptly cut off.

"Smack!"

With a distinct sound of footsteps, the automaton named Hotaru silently slipped into Rozen's embrace, placing her slender hand on his abdomen.

Power erupted from that hand.

"Boom!"

As if struck by a tremendous force, Rozen's body was blasted away with a loud bang. He collided with a burning pillar and then slid down.

"Cough...!"

Blood trickled from Rozen's mouth.

However, strangely, this display of resilience earned Akabane Tenzen's admiration.

"In the end, you used your 'Heaven's Eye' to see Hotaru's actions and concentrated a large amount of magic in your abdomen during the critical moment to activate 'Magic Defense,' right?"

This way, Rozen had only suffered minor impact from the blow. Otherwise, his internal organs would have been pulverized.

Of course, if it weren't for the protection of the fire rat concealed within Rozen's sleeve, he would have been severely burned upon touching the burning pillar.

Though Akabane Tenzen wasn't aware of this, he could guess something from Rozen's condition.

"I've felt this way since before," Akabane Tenzen said indifferently. "There's still a major secret hidden within you, a very significant secret."

Rather than speculation, this seemed more like intuition.

"Actually, within this house, the person I understand the least is you. You've always been focused on training and research on your own, without interacting with the clan members. You only associate with a very small number of individuals. I can't see through you, let alone understand you."

Akabane Tenzen's gaze was cold as he looked at Rozen.

That gaze resembled looking at a valuable item with a hint of regret.

"Too bad, you lack the 'Crimson Wing Blood.' You're not part of my bloodline, otherwise, you would be the highest-grade living material, wouldn't you?"

With these words, Rozen's mind received a tremendous shock.

Living material?

Could it be...

"Did you slaughter the clan to create Banned Dolls?"

Rozen voiced this possibility.

If Akabane Tenzen really needed living materials for creating banned dolls, then his actions of slaughtering the clan could be explained. Just as he mentioned, considering living materials alone, the Akabane clan members with the "Crimson Wing Blood" would undoubtedly be the highest-grade resources.

But then, Rozen contradicted his own statement.

"If it was just for creating banned dolls, you could use anyone as living material. There's no need to slaughter the clan for the sake of the 'Crimson Wing Blood.'"

So, why did Akabane Tenzen massacre the clan?

Why did he need clan members possessing the "Crimson Wing Blood" as living material?

Rozen didn't know.

He genuinely didn't know.

However, if he were to speculate, Rozen could make an educated guess.

Since banned dolls only required living material, without the need for highly qualified material, then what kind of thing would require meticulously selected living materials?

"You're pursuing not just banned dolls, but something beyond that!" Rozen's words shifted Akabane Tenzen's atmosphere drastically.

It turned sharp.

"...I take back what I just said."

Akabane Tenzen's voice sounded slowly.

"You're not someone with a narrow perspective, unable to see high-level things. Quite the opposite. You're a formidable individual capable of seeing all possibilities and calculating every impossibility."

The things Rozen pursued were theoretically impossible occurrences, things that would be called "miracles."

Given that, Rozen naturally believed in all impossibilities and would calculate all possibilities.

"I initially thought that with these six puppets, you couldn't possibly catch up to me. But now it seems, keeping you alive is far too dangerous."

Akabane Tenzen's voice dropped to an icy tone, chilling to the extreme.

"Very well, I'll let you rest here alongside your clan members."

With that, as if not holding back anymore, Akabane Tenzen released all his magic, channeling it into Kamakiri beside him.

"Hum!"

Space behind Rozen rippled instantly.

And from there, a girl emerged.

It was Hotaru.

Rozen witnessed everything using his "Heaven's Eye."

Regrettably, before Rozen could react, Hotaru had already used her overwhelming speed to close in on him, placing her hands against his back.

A pair of palms extended towards Rozen's back.

Death drew near Rozen.

Until...

"Haa!"

In a clear and delicate shout, a girl as dark as the night descended from midair. She landed directly behind Rozen, leapt up and kicked, colliding with Hotaru's palm strike.

"Boom—!"

A resounding impact generated an explosion-like shockwave.

Only then did Rozen turn around, looking at the girl standing in front of him with widened eyes.

"Yaya...!?"

The one who had arrived was indeed Yaya.