-2346- [ Mechanical Demon-Purging Twin Spears Mark Zero ]

"That spear..."

Seeing the weapon raised in the man's hand, Yukina's eyes widened slightly.

It was a strange-looking spear—completely pitch black, and pointed at both ends. A rare double-ended spear.

Of course, if it were just an unusual design, Yukina wouldn't have reacted this strongly.

What made her so alarmed was the feeling that the spear gave off—eerily similar to that of her own Sekkaro.

A spear like this—according to what Yukina knew—existed within the Lion King Agency.

"Fangzahn—the Mechanical Demon-Purging Twin Spears Mark Zero..."

——Fangzahn.

It was a sacred weapon crafted with the same technology as the Mechanical Demon-Purging Assault Spear Mark Seven. Supposedly a sister model of the Mark Seven—similar in concept to the relationship between the Excalibur and the Excalibur Galatine.

However, unlike the Mark Seven, which was regarded as the highest-grade personal sacred weapon, Fangzahn had been discarded as a failure upon development. Only a single unit existed in the entire world, and it had been stored in a museum located in a remote sector of the Demon Sanctuary. Very few had ever laid eyes on it.

"Don't tell me..."

A memory surfaced in Yukina's mind.

Back during the Harurouin Festival, when the other escapees from the Prison Barrier were rampaging, the young man before her had vanished without a trace—doing nothing, just disappearing.

Later, Natsuki had mentioned something: that this particular escapee had stolen something from the museum within the Keystone Gate before vanishing entirely.

Could it be—that what he stole was Fangzahn?

Then... had this sister spear of the Mark Seven always been on Itogami Island?

Yukina's guess was spot on.

The young man standing before her—Itogami Meiga—was indeed an escapee from the Prison Barrier, once apprehended on Itogami Island.

He had been captured here and imprisoned.

The weapon he had carried at the time was confiscated by the Management Cooperative and displayed in the museum.

As for why Itogami Meiga possessed such a spear—the reason was simple.

"You don't need to be so surprised, Himeragi Yukina."

Itogami Meiga gave a faint smile.

"After all, I used to be a member of the Lion King Agency. This spear? I designed it myself."

Those words made Yukina visibly flinch.

"You…"

She started to speak—but was suddenly cut off.

Not by Meiga, but by the injured Shizuka Koyomi still in her arms.

"Watch out!"

With a shout, Shizuka Koyomi shoved Yukina away and collapsed to the side.

"Clang!"

Almost simultaneously, Meiga lunged forward like a gust of wind, his black spear slicing through the air like a flash of light—striking exactly where Yukina and Shizuka had been moments before.

"Wha...!?"

Yukina, now pushed aside, could only stare in disbelief.

The reason was simple.

Meiga's direct attack—she hadn't seen it at all.

Yes.

Despite possessing Spirit Vision, which let her "see" several seconds into the future, Yukina hadn't seen any trace of Meiga's movement. That momentary lag in her perception had almost cost her life.

If Shizuka Koyomi hadn't pushed her, she would've been struck.

Realizing this, a chill ran down Yukina's spine. She grit her teeth and, with a shout, leapt into action.

Even without the Mark Seven, Yukina was still a formidable Sword Shaman.

At such close range, where Sword Shamans specialized in close-quarters combat, it was her domain.

Without hesitation, she activated a body-enhancement spell to increase her physical capabilities, preparing to invoke the combat magic of the Eight Thunder God Technique.

With this, even if her opponent was a skilled Demon or a Prison Barrier escapee, Yukina—unable to sense any overwhelming threat from him—believed she still had a fighting chance.

But…

"Huh?"

Just as she launched herself forward, Yukina froze in disbelief.

Her body-enhancement spell had failed. Even the Eight Thunder God Technique wouldn't activate.

No—more precisely, her spiritual energy wasn't responding. There was no power. No change in her body.

"Be careful, Himeragi Yukina!"

Shizuka Koyomi shouted from the ground.

"That spear may be a failure, but it can nullify both mana and spiritual energy. It's a sacred weapon developed based on concepts from foreign corrosion—any supernatural force is basically useless against it!"

Those words made Yukina's eyes widen again.

"Nullifies both mana and spiritual energy?"

Her first thought upon hearing that was—impossible.

"If both mana and spiritual energy are cut off, how could anyone even remain alive?"

That had been a known truth.

All things possess yin and yang. Just as every beginning has an end, the relationship between mana and jutsuryoku mirrors the duality of life itself. As long as one remains, life can continue, and drained mana or jutsuryoku can recover. But if both are severed, that would mean life itself ceases—essentially equivalent to nonexistence.

Furthermore, unlike divine weapons tied to the God of Sin, both the Mark Seven and Fangzahn affect the user as well.

Which meant their effects applied to their wielders too.

Thus, Yukina herself, when using the Mark Seven, couldn't use mana—only spiritual energy.

If Meiga was wielding Fangzahn now, then his mana and spiritual energy should also be nullified.

Under such conditions, how could he possibly use a weapon that nullifies both forces?

Wouldn't that be the same as erasing his own life?

And yet—

"My body just happens to be compatible with it. This spear was custom-built for me."

With those words, a figure appeared before Yukina—holding the spear.

"Thud!"

A powerful kick slammed into Yukina's body—landing on the arms she hastily raised to defend herself.

"Guh...!"

With a muffled grunt, Yukina staggered back several steps.

That moment created a massive opening.

"Farewell, Sword Shaman."

The cold farewell echoed down the empty alley.

Meiga's form shot forward again, raising the black spear high over Yukina, and slashing down with force.

"Himeragi Yukina!"

Shizuka Koyomi's voice rang out.

"Aaaaah.....!"

Yukina's cry tore through the rain-soaked night.