Chapter 32: Kagirinaki Kirigiri

Chapter 32: Kagirinaki Kirigiri

Southern Helia.

Weekend.

Creed Mansion.

It was the weekend. And with such a day came great responsibility.

For Damian.

"Well, well."

Seated lazily on the couch, remote in hand, he flipped through channels with visible boredom.

"Psst, Lucas, what's going on?"

"Hm… I'm not really sure, but he's been like this for more than thirty minutes now."

At the far end of the living room, Shane and Lucas observed Damian, watching him as if he were some strange phenomenon.

Lucas had been around since Damian first woke up, having watched him plant himself on the couch without an ounce of care.

Shane, on the other hand, had just woken up. 

His bed hair was a disaster, and with a lazy scratch to his head, he continued staring.

Still, it made sense for things to be this… downcasted—if that was the word that could be used in this situation.

Not long ago. 

Rather, a few days before now, they'd be battling in a dungeon, and had themselves caught up in a scheme of those who lusted for the destruction and chaos.

For someone like Damian who enjoyed such chaos, they could see why he'd revert to this. He was low on dopamine.

'Uwahhhh. Still to think it's now of all times he decides to start sulking.' 

Shane thought as he continued scratching his hair.

Soon, Enma had gone over to the dining room after preparing breakfast.

"Now, now, breakfast is ready."

Enma had said, earning a nod from Shane and Lucas.

It didn't take more than a minute. Kaiden too had shortly joined them.

His gaze flickered from Shane, then to Damian—who, if anything, looked even more drained than usual.

Almost immediately, he came to his own conclusion. Then, with a sigh, Kaiden had spoken up.

"So, what do you think?"

"...? About…?"

"The upcoming inter-semester."

As Kaiden said that, the entire living room, which had been sluggish with morning laziness, suddenly regained energy.

Shane was the first to speak up, with a visibly satisfied comical expression as he munched happily.

"Yeah. I look forward to it. But count me out."

"Shane, in case you haven't been told, your laziness exceeds that of Enma."

"Huh? I'm hard-working, you know."

"Yeah…."

Shane had looked over to Damian, and soon both had started to bicker. Though it was not in the immature way.

However, there was something about Damian's tone—about how he spoke—that made Shane look at him a little too serious.

However, staying on that note—

"But perhaps the fun part about this inter-semester would be those from the reverse side."

Saying that, they all fell silent, but now that Damian had said that, Shane also nodded.

"Yeah, I believe so. After studying their magic, I've come to learn that they're a cut above humans when it comes to magic manipulation. The only reason humans don't lose to them is thanks to…"

"…Supernatural ability."

Shane had begun, and Damian had concluded it.

It would also make sense that despite their anti-magic barrier, it wasn't able to stop people like Arianna, Alfonso, Ciaris, and the rest from using their supernatural ability.

"In the first place, supernatural ability, unlike magic, is a form of… let me use 'authority' as an example… They require minimal to no mana, and for those who have mastered their abilities, even something like an anti-magic area would have little effect."

"However, for those on the Other Side… only a handful—amongst most of them, I'd say only a handful—possess supernatural abilities."

"But then, their masterful use of Magic can circumvent this."

Shane had said, munching happily on the pancakes served in front of him, before twirling his fork in the air as though to make a point.

"Because they're magic born, huh?"

"But still, that doesn't change the fact that in terms of pure skill in magic, they're above humans."

Why were they speaking like they weren't humans in the first place?

Lucas thought with a twitch of his lips.

Sorry—he forgot; these four aren't humans in the first place.

Demons. Yes, these four were demons who had risen from the pits of hell.

And lately, his own common sense had begun to deviate from what was once considered common.

They were to be blamed for this also too!

"Yes. Yes. Regardless of whether anti-magic works or not, I don't believe magic-borns like them wouldn't have a means of countering; after all, they themselves have experienced the worst during the three-way war."

"However, not all supernatural abilities are simple for them to deal with."

Shane continued. But stopped there. Still munching on pancakes with a fulfilled expression. It was no secret that these were his favourites.

One of many ways to kidnap Shane was such: placing pancakes, in his front… he'd follow no problem.

"That's why I propose I and Kaiden sit out this event."

After taking a munch, Shane finally said that, wiping his lips with an handkerchief.

"I see, since Damian and Enma are part of the student council and disciplinary committee, respectively, it'd make sense."

"By the way, I forgot to mention earlier. Kaiden, you're joining the committee too soon."

"...Seriously…?"

"Kaiden, do I look like I'd ever lie?"

Damian had stared at Kaiden as he said that, to which the male shook his head with an exasperated sigh.

"Fact… I've already been… forced…"

Enma had said that, his head hung low. Shane could understand; Eira had probably forced it on him.

Thinking this, Shane kept his hands together as if to give a silent prayer to his older brother.

"But, well… It's that, no doubt, if the four of us participate, it'll be unfair, no?"

"I support that confidence of yours, Damian."

Shane had snapped his fingers before standing up with his plates. Then just as he did—

[Incoming Broadcast]

[Good day, citizens of Southern Helia. This is an official broadcast authorized by the Affiliates. We are pleased to announce the successful reconnection with the Other Side.]

[For many years, a non-interference pact has remained in place following the war between our two nations. However, that era has now come to an end.]

[From this moment forward, the Other Side and the Mainland will stand united against any threat to humanity.]

It was a sudden broadcast that was sent across. Most stations had panned from whatever they were showcasing to this broadcast.

In the television, they showed some people descending down from expensive-looking cars.

There were also lots of awakened who surrounded them as if to guard them. As if to show of how important they were.

Perhaps the most eye-catching person on the television right now was the male who was clad in a knightly appearance.

Platinum blond-hair, dressed in silver armor, in front of a particular expensive looking car, giving a light bow.

"Hm, I know of that person, at the very least, I've read about him; if I'm not wrong, that's [Knight]. But to think he'd be allowed to leave Central."

Shane had said that with eyebrows raised as he paused.

"[Knight]?"

"Yeah. According to the data I had read about him, he's one of the fr fr higher-ups in World Entropy, ranking sixth. Either he's guarding their leader or he's always on mission. Well, I guess it'd make sense…."

"So, he…"

"Yeah, a True Awakened. An ascendant."

Even though Shane said that, their expressions didn't change. It was as if to say that they weren't interested at all.

No, it was indifference perhaps.

Lucas, amongst them, was still the only normal one amongst them, seeing his expression while his gaze was fixed on the TV.

'Well, Lucas is still immature.'

Shane had thought as he went over to the kitchen.

At the same time.

Southern Helia.

Kukurihime East Shrine.

Sakurai Furinaga

A girl whose house was that of an exorcist.

Following a long line of tradition that sprawled all the way from the Mythical Age, even before the age of magic and otherworlds, her family had long followed the tradition of worshiping Mountain Gods.

They did not just believe in their existence.

They worshipped them and used their powers to drive out evil spirits.

But now, with the existence of magic, they were capable of more than just driving away unseen spirits.

Spirit Magic.

One which was different from Elemental Spirits, who govern nature, but rather, true spirits—spirits of old, who had neither left the border of the world nor faded but instead stayed, accumulating power to the point that their existence became pronounced.

One of such gods her lineage worshipped was—

Kukurihime no Kami.

A goddess from the olden era who had been worshipped for as long as the Furinaga existed.

Even though they lacked communication, the Furinaga had held faith in her until now.

Thus, the joy they had felt when the Elymas had caused the catastrophe knew no end, as finally, they were reconnected to their goddess.

"Hey, are you even listening?"

Currently—

Inside a traditional-esque house, its floors featuring a wooden framework, sliding paper doors, and a thatched or tiled roof with elegant curves.

Surrounded by a meticulously maintained garden, with sacred trees, a stone pathway, and a purification basin near the entrance.

Two females sat, dressed in traditional clothes—the first, a girl with straight black hair, wearing white and red garments, the distinct attire of her lineage.

The other, a beautiful white-haired girl, sat on the floor. 

Opening her dazed purple eyes, she exhaled lightly before speaking.

"I'm listening. What's up?"

"You weren't, dammit!"

Even though Sakurai was a miko, she wasn't particularly restricted by any culture nor was she ever held back from speaking like this.

She could communicate with the spirits of old anyway.

If they were displeased with her, they would have given her a warning or two.

"Kirigiri, I keep telling you, those four aren't normal, dammit! I only got to know of their horrors during camp."

The black-haired miko gritted her teeth as she spoke, still earning an unimpressed stare from the other.

"And?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm asking, what on earth could it have been to make someone like you panic?"

"Huff! That's what I'm saying—you don't know anything! A student who can face a whole horde of Enlightened-Class monsters is unbelievable. But then, the first and the third of them are unreal."

If there was any one of the Creeds she was scared of, it would be, without a doubt, Enma.

That amount of deathly aura around him was unnatural.

With that amount of bad omen, he should already be dead by now, however, he lives.

There was something very odd about him.

"However, the third of them is perhaps the worst. He keeps claiming the ability he showed back then was a healing ability." 

"However, I saw it, and I've confirmed it with Kukurihime-sama. His ability can reverse cause and effect."

"Hah!? For real?"

The girl named Kirigiri, who had been slacking in expression, finally focused after hearing that. 

She blinked her eyes, trying to discern if Sakurai was lying. However— 'She speaks the truth.'

"If I were to lie, surely, you'd have detected it."

"No kidding."

Kirigiri facepalmed, her hands covering her face, but then her hand slid, covering her mouth as she stared at the ceiling.

Then, after thinking about it for a moment, the white-haired girl had let out a smile.

"It's possible. Why do you think the 'Other Side,' despite their powers, decided to make peace and a non-aggression pact with us despite being born of magic?"

"That—"

"The World Entropy's Venerable Goddess, the Clandestine Monarch, the Eurgish Illuminator, and lastly, I, the Nemesis Overlord. Because we four exist, Is that not?"

The white-haired, purple-eyed beauty, despite looking no older than Sakurai herself, had spoken with an awful air of confidence and a grin on her face.

Transcendants.

Kagirinaki Kirigiri.

The ruler of Nemesis, the fourth-largest organization in the world.

Despite their lack of activity and members, they were, without a doubt, the fourth. And this was because this youthful-looking girl.

"Of course, Kirigiri-chan~ so, so? Will you be coming?"

Sakurai had asked that, making Kirigiri wince.

She had originally come here due to the fact that the Affiliates wanted to re-establish contact with the Other Side.

Also, she was curious about the report.

Especially that of the Blackwood's former heir.

Now, hearing this from her distant relative, she couldn't be more sure.

Those people named Creed were the ones behind the Order's successful yet failed infiltration.

Successful because they had stolen an important object.

And failed because everything else they could have gained from the incident had gone down the drain.

"Mhm. I can't really say yet."

Kirigiri scratched her head with a sheepish smile, but then continued.

"I would probably send Ichor in my stead, so how about it?"

She offered, still with that sheepish smile, which, by the way, Sakurai looked every bit offended by.

"Forgive me, forgive me, Sakurai-chan. I have something important that day. Please let this slide."

"Haah. Fine, I guess."

"Yaay!"