Vol 9 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1 - Fragical World

In the basement 500 meters below the First Alchemist Institute, was placed a research plant for Hyakki Yakou

This place wasn't as robust as Inquisition's underground facility nor its security was strict For a highest priority facility that confined special fantastical organisms, it was too vulnerable

It's been known for a few months already just how hazardous Hyakki Yakou was

Mankind should have learned from that abominable incident that sed an entire section of a city The fantastical organishest priority when it cohty and aberrant for humans to tame it with a collar

””

A girl was sleeping behind a thin glass of a water tank

She had tubes passing through her body and her head up to the eyes was covered by some kind of apparatus

Itlike this being done to a young girl was too ghastly

The girl's mouth arced peacefully

Even unable to see her eyes, one could tell she had grasped happiness in her hands

As the girl continued to smile happily, unknown that her happiness isn't real,

”I don't like this”

Kirigaya Kyouya frowned

Surrendering to illusion called ”drea used by adults Despite being aware he wasn't qualified to sympathize with her, he couldn't help but to think so

He knew she isn't an existence he is able to kill And it wasn't like he tried to kill her out of sympathy

But no matter his i Kiseki was dying

The only one who could grant her this salvation was her brother, Kusanagi Takeru

”It's all because of you that she's suffering Kusanagi”

Kyouya despised him

He despised the man who didn't kill 'Hyakki Yakou' and didn't save his little sister, Kiseki

”——Apologies for my rudeness, but I think that's not for you to decide, is it?”

Hearing a voice adjusted to sound graceful, Kyouya slowly turned around

Before he realized, a gray-haired woman stood behind him

Suginami Suzaku She was the Alchemist corporation's current CEO, norht to be penalized As if exaggerating the fact her existence is located in the gray zone, her hair was perfectly gray-colored However, the color of the lab coat she earing was black

”Kirigaya Kyouya-sa our facilities defenses at a ti journey”

Either she just used polite speech or maybe she spoke like that to tease hi a distance from him

They ined her The atetsu Even though she was in front of hihost

”I didn't really come to this facility to protect it don't misunderstand that”

Just as Suzaku said, Kyouya didn't participate in the second Witch Hunt War, and as a member of EXE he had come to defend the Alchemist's first Institute

He wasn't ordered to, he volunteered

His reason wasn't killing Kiseki nor seriously defending it

In this location Yoshi+ treatment

”I'm aware, verily aware Your merciful attachment to your schoolmate really, I ad your schoolmate, I shall treat her with my utmost efforts'

”don't talk as if you know anything, heretic”

Despite her provocations, Kyouya didn't attack her That choice would end up with his childhood friend, Yoshi+ He ell aware it would be worst outcome for him

Suzaku made a classy, wry smile and tilted her head

”The Alchereat deal, please be at ease”

Kyouya clenched his teeth What Alcheo berserk which allowed them to learn its power

”But there's so to have you enter the facility without perinamis”

”security here's shi+t In this state invading in is easy”

”Do not worry Even without any security, this equip her absolutely won't be torn down Rather, if you touch any of it you'll go crazy and die, you know?”

Saying a joke in a light tone, Suzaku broadly smiled

That definitely wasn't a joke The rumored alchemist Suzaku was said to produce materials out of this world

Suzaku's footsteps resounded, standing next to Kyouya she stared at Kiseki inside of the water tank

”Your opinion froi Kiseki-sa is beyond our coht is correct”

””

”However, does it look to you as if she was suffering at the moment?”

Kyouya once again looked up at Kiseki

The s Suzaku closed her eyes and put a fingertip on the tank enclosing Kiseki

cshrr, an eerie ical power has sprouted out

”This device is linked to her body Therefore, ordinary hu it and die”

”ha, since you put it into practice, it seems like yer a heretic yourself”

It's all too late though, Kyouya spat out

Suzaku closed her eyes and ht smile

”I can understand She's currently feeling happiness she never knew Even if it's an illusion, I'ed just because she's alive, suffering, a o mad from incoether with her beloved person”

She slowly opened her eyes and looked towards Kyouya

Her open eyes were moist with tears

”Rather than salvation by death, don't you think keeping her asleep in our coreater happiness?”

Suzaku asked with intoxicated eyes beyond what he could make and in tears

Truly——disgusting

Kyouya thought so, clicked his tongue and started to walk towards the exist after turning on his heel

”That ain't convincing at all when you bastards are using her drea onto stuff like that!”

Suzaku stuck out her tongue towards Kyouya's back with a ”tehe” and threay eye drops she was hiding behind her back

And then, with an ecstatic expression she held her hands together looking up at Kiseki

”——A, c'mon, there's no need for such sophistryy This is a in relationshi+p! Kiseki-saet superb results from our researchh No one's hurt so it's all okay! We can act by calling it voluntary right?! This is voluntary and nothand can feel the joy of 'doing a good thing' and a sense of satisfaction, saving people out of charity! It doesn't trouble anyone! That's the ideal equivalent exchange alchemists have reachedd! Aaaaa, wonderfullll!”

With droll hanging from her mouth Suzaku twisted her body

And then, hu she started toKiseki

She already ignored Kyouya's existence completely

Holding down his irritation, he headed for the exit

”damn it all!”

He felt pathetic having to help people like these

Fro hi unable to break out from the present state

Takeru left the hospital room and walked down the school's hallway

He was told by Nagaru to take it easy for today, other ly threatening attitude, but he wanted to understand the current situation as soon as possible

It seemed like they arrived here soon after Takeru lost consciousness

The 35th platoon has captured Magnolia, the EXE's vice captain and carrying Takeru aimed for the destination

Their destination was a s the cave was their refuge, but it seearu hid a transfer instant charm

Seely it was hidden there earlier by Heretic Alliance, apparently there were a number of those hidden in completely desolate and obscure places The reason they went all this way north was because the charions were used by active members of the Heretic Alliance

”Are you all right Usagi?”

While walking down the fai's poor condition She laughed weakly with a pale face

”I-I'ht headache”

Her complexion aside, her behavior was also pretty suspicious

Ikaruga and Mari didn't look too well either They had hard ti and even a little bit of walk caused thehly

He could only guess, but the aen in here was different fro hih mountain

is this AntiMagic Academy on top of a mountain?

After taking a look around he understood that it was a little bit different fros themselves were siical Heritage sealing facilities and forbidden area from the Inquisition's headquarters didn't exist here

It was just sos

”Previous top ic Acadeht〜”

”made to resemble you say, was the founder a part of Inquisition?”

Ouka asked, as Nagaru guided theh the facility

”That's how it looks like The organization exists for nearly 40 years, but it started its activities in the earnest around 20 years ago It was then that the leader has discovered this place and built these”

Ouka squinted

Staring at her froaru said it out flat

”Your father, Mineshi+ro Kazuma-san was this place's previous leader”

Everyone other than Ouka gasped in surprise

Possibly guessing it to a degree, she didn't show any agitation

”is that the reason you have invited me to the student council, President?”

”Nyaw, that's not it I never hter I wouldn't have invited you if I couldn't trust you I si, soh a reason to make you a comrade”

Being told that by Nagaru, Ouka downcast her eyes slightly

Takeru didn't kno she felt Only Ouka herself could understand does it feel when her gentle father's ie collapses

”please, if possible don't hate Mineshi+ro-san for keeping it secret from his family〜”

Nagaru faced forward and said so, placing a hand on her head

”Certainly, Ouka-chan's family was killed because Mineshi+ro-san was a dissident I think you know it, but after he was forced to leave Inquisition he took you in and resigned froether with his faer his family, he cut his ties with Heretic Alliance”

””

”Results-wise, it was too late but the ientle father' you have isn't a lie In the end, he choose to be a father protecting his faht sound selfish, but I would like you not to blame Mineshi+ro-san for the fact you family was killed”

Surely, all of that was just a guess

But Takeru too, thought that Mineshi+ro Kazuaru described him

”Even if we're not tied by blood, I can understand father's feelings Right now, not as an Inquisitor and not for revenge, I caratitude nor have any grudge against him I respect him”

When Ouka said so clearly with a hand on her chest, Nagaru smiled happily

”——That's that, but could you cut it out and finally tell us where is this?”

As the atmosphere started to calm down, Ouka asked that sharply It seee the conversation about her father, but Takeru too wanted to know that the most

”You said this place's absolutely safe, but what's the basis for that? What is here on this ground?”

While en canister, Takeru asked Nagaru

Nagaru told Takeru ”I'll show you that now” and took them up the stairs to the rooftop

After opening heavy iron door, they squinted being exposed to the light

Chasing after Nagaru who entered the roof with a gait everyone moved under the sun

”Don't you think there's soe here?”

Nagaru turned towards them with a twirl and spread her arms

Strange? Takeru looked around But despite being told soht The only things there, was a water storage tank and perfectly clear blue sky

While everyone standing in a line was puzzled, Ikaruga alone narrowed her eyes sharply as she looked up at the sky

”there's no sun”

For a ht they misheard her

However, it was just as Ikaruga said, in the cloudless azure sky there was no sun Confusion spread all at once

”N-no way! Impossible?!”

”I-isn't this an underground facility? Like Magic Acaderound facilities with a barrier”

”Then what is this light? No ht”

””

While everyone was upset, Takeru stared at the empty sky

It was cracked Like those on a shell of an egg, there were cracks in the sky In the gaps visible between those cracks there was nothing but pitch black darkness

Takeru cautiously walked to the edge of the roof So inside of hiave hiination His hand grasped the fence's wire net and over-viewing from the rooftop he witnessed the state of the world for the first time

He was speechless

”what the hell is this”

Feeling his legs cramp up, he involuntarily leaked out a voice

The scenery in front of his eyes couldn't be real In the world there were cracks the space itself had cracks all over it

Looking up from the safe rooftop there was only sky Around the school there was only rubble Wreckage of old-fashi+oned buildings like te around

On the other side, there was nothing The world itself was covered in cracks and dyed black

It was a world with a radius of 5 kilo was broken

He was dazzled coht

As Takeru and the others were stunned, Nagaru leaned her back on the fence and spoke

”——Do you know the theory which says we live in the wrong world?”

While looking at the cracks in the world, Nagaru said so absent-mindedly

”It's a theory philosophers from old times and the inventor of the theory of relativity have coic as well as anisms didn't really exist” Of course, that hypothesis was being laughed at for a few hundred years, but recently it's been reviewed and adapted”

””

”Don't you think the history of the world we live in is unnatural? Magic that always bites into history so natural but don't you think it feels like so that's been forcibly added up?”

What Nagaru was saying didn't go through to Takeru's head at all Everyone else was the same, they stared at the world, stunned

Only Ouka and Ikaruga retained their composure

”I know that hypothesis Magic didn't initially exist and with certain historical events as a boundary, iic has become a natural presence is what you mean?”

”Yup Those certain occurrences are crucial when it co about this world”

So Ikaruga was that faed and raised both of her hands

That's when,

”a ical world has collided with ours”

Ouka said with a heavy tone of voice

”The world we are in now has appeared as a result of the collision of our world with the inally it had a different form”

Nagaru smiled broadly and nodded

”People who hypothesized it advocated that ic didn't exist in this world but they didn't deny the existence of ical world is a parallel world That world has been overfloith anisanisms we call 'Gods' has existed in it”

There was knowledge of the ical world they have learned in school

The spirits su too, were called fro similar to that

There were records of ancient witches contacting with els and demons Even now there was a few of theic were able to sense the presence of ical world's existence

”If it's about ical worlds, I can prove it myself After all, I can summon fairies Still, is it really possible to have worlds collide with one another?”

Mari said puzzled and put a hand on her hip

She seearu's roundabout explanation and was nervously tapping on the ground with her heel

”I wonder, I don't know that But you know that the parallel world called 'Norse ht?”

Mari was puzzled hearing that question, but Takeru recalled so then

When he was taken to Magic Academy, he heard about it from Lapis

”When the Nordic summoners first cay's world” Valhalla's Dáinsleif, Tyrving that Mephisto passed to Tenes that still remain are said to be y In other words, that world's existence has been known for a long tiely no one knohen did the world of Norse y disappear”

”it can't be then, did the world we have lived in before and Norseone?”

Nagaru nodded in response to Ouka's question

”It's not clear when did that happen, but believing the hypothesis it s that give credibility to this hypothesis”

”that's, can it be”

Mari looked towards Takeru and Kanaria

”That's right Mistilteinn and Kana-chan's Lævateinn Those two Magical Heritages called 'Sacred Treasures' were originally so that can't be su in our current world without any consequences was impossible in the first place”

Soical world has appeared in possession of humans in this world What on earth could the circumstances of that be?

Lapis said that she doesn't know that herself Since she was ical world, she was unable to explain that to Takeru

While listening to Nagaru's words, Takeru looked at the cracked-up world once again

I faintly remember it

Re like a temple World with cracks on it World that has ended

There was no doubt This scenery, this world——it was very si form for the first time to kill Kiseki

”Also, one e of the world of Norse y”

Nagaru spread her ar the world

”This space was bloay upon the collision of ours and Norse y's world, it can be considered a part of the world People who founded the Heretic Alliance identified its coordinates and were able to navigate in here through transferit as a home base”

”Wa-wait sec then the place we're in now is Norse y's world?!”

”Half right, half wrong I guess〜 This world too has been modified by the collision, the environment is similar to our world Norical world that's filled with ic Well, it's up to you whether you believe it or not”

If we are able to suanisms from parallel worlds, we should be able to travel into parallel worlds, is what everyone thought There were records of people before and after the ho tried to tried going into a ical world, but it failed completely

From those ent, no one has come back

However, in the world full of debris Takeru and others were in now, it seeical world was gone, allowing them to live normally

”Ouka-chan's father, Mineshi+ro-san seriously believed in this hypothesis and was sniffing around Ootori Sougetsu thinking he was related to it”

””

”And surely, he got a hold of so As the current leader of Heretic Alliance, I think I need to know it nokilled”

Everyonethey couldn't believe it Although the hypothesis of worlds colliding and being rebuilt into a neorld has been o, they were unable to iht in front of them

Nagaru had an unusually serious expression, but before long she returned to her usual smile as she looked at everyone and hit her open hand with a fist

”Oh well, I told you lots of stuff, but you don't have to think about it now Noas you understand its safe First I'll introduce coo to the student council's room”

Knowing that everyone was upset, Nagaru said so lightly for a e

Somehow, the atmosphere has loosened thanks to that

Just one person, Takeru was an exception

”——President, where's Lapis?”

He asked Nagaru as pressing on everyone's backs as they left the roof With her back turned to Takeru she stopped on spot

”Even though we've been exploring this place for a while now, her presence is very weak She where did you have her stay?”

”it's okay, she's here We took her with us”

”Then please letI need to ask her”

He seriously looked at Nagaru, as if glaring

She responded while still turned with her back to him

”It seeirl doesn't want toin contact with her as uess”

”why? This is ht?”

”That's true, still”

”——Please letyou”

”T-Takeru a request fro Lapis”

Mari said so with difficulty and a tre voice

Takeru didn't hide his surprise

”Mari even you, why?”

Looking carefully, it wasn't just Mari Usagi was looking fearfully doards, Ikaruga was squinting as she looked away As for Kanaria, she was glaring at him

Ouka just closed her eyes in silence and clenched her fist

They were obviously hiding so Lapis

Takeru wanted to question everyone but was discouraged on the verge of doing so

”Fine I'll ask the person herself move aside”

Cutting through everyone, Takeru headed towards the roof's exit

Mari stretched out her hand trying to hold hiaru stopped her

Nagaru made a thin smile and spoke towards Takeru's back

”Lapis-chan is in this school's basement If you want to meet her, do as you please”

Although there were voices froaru, Takeru ignored that and left the roof

What he left behind was a word of thanks to Nagaru

”Why did you let hiht?!”

Mari yelled at Nagaru with a harsh voice

Everyone else wasn't satisfied either, but they were silent

While scratching her cheek Nagaru put a hand on Mari's shoulder

”Even if I tried to stop him, he's already determined to meet Lapis-chan〜 He'll learn it anyways, I just think it's better if he gets to know it in a convincingto him〜”

Also, I'aru said insincerely

Seeing Mari chagrin with her fist clenched Ouka spat out a sigh

”I understand how you feel, but there's truth in what President says Even if we stop him, Takeru won't stop”

”Even you're saying such things?! We're co to abandon a comrade that marches towards his own harm?!”

Hearing Mari's desperate words Ouka faced doards

”That's not how it is However, I feel that to Takeru, Mistilteinn is different from 'comrades' like us Between the two there's a different, unique atmosphere”

It wasn't so to meddle in

Mari realized it after being told so and chewed her lower lip in chagrin

”I know that but I'm still not convinced 'Cause at this rate Takeru will!”

”Of course, I have no intention of looking it end like that We just have to do e are able to”

Hearing Ouka's cal words Mari returned a serious question

”other than to stop him, what can we do”

Persistently calm, Ouka quietly answered

”Believe”

””

”We can believe that Takeru won't leave us and goes alone”

These ords of someone who has overcome bitter experiences

When Kiseki was going berserk, Ouka tried to stop Takeru fro alone in God hunter form

Don't go, she said

Takeru shook off her hand and went alone to where Kiseki was

However, Takeru still came back He was reminded of his comrades in the last moment and came back

That's why Ouka believed in Takeru, no matter how many times he ends up in a situation like that

”I' just that!”

With tears in her eyes Mari left the roof

Ouka tried to chase after her, but then she lowered her outstretched hand

Being the poor talker she is and unable to properly relay her feelings, she got depressed

Nagaru as right beside her laughed

”It's all right Mari-chan understands that for sure〜 Also, you can do h forces to allow hi form, but you are different”

She cast down her eyes slightly

”It's a fact that his and Lapis-chan's strength is essential to us〜 I don't want him to release his power, but if he does it voluntarily I won't stop him But if it's you all, I think you'll be able to stop him”

””

”But I don't kno'd you do it〜”