168 Episode 48: My Consciousness 2 in 1 (2/2)
It looks like Masamune is quite a workaholic since he even volunteered to do some work. Even now, he seems eager to work on something as he keeps on tinkering with a knife that seems to be broken. Maybe it is one of the throwing knives of Maple.
Since Maple is still asleep and my body feels groggy since I didn't take a bath last night, I asked Masamune to tell Maple that the bathroom is occupied. While taking a dip in the bathtub, I asked Blue to replay the battle that was recorded when I fought against the Creature that Mephistopheles created. The video indeed contained lots of info that the mock battle against the monster made clear. The only problem is that I was too haggard in the video that I feel like smacking myself in embarrassment.
...
Morning, 10:00 A.M
Maple is already awake and ready to start the investigation. On the other hand, I retrieve the thing that ”The Raven” told me to fetch from her once we begin the investigation. The receptionist did not stop me from going up to the office of ”The Raven”. Maybe she already got the go signal for me to climb up.
”You are no longer scared from knocking on the door of ”The Raven” huh...” Blue said with some mocking tone in her voice.
”Why would I be scared? ”The Raven” is not that scary in terms of personality.m Yes, she is scary in terms of fighting power but why would I be scared if she isn't an enemy?”
”Hmmm, you have a good point. Now, let's get inside!”
I knocked on the door first before entering. As usual, ”The Raven” is busy with her paperwork. I still can't believe she is already blind but she can still do things a person who can see can still do due to her third eye-opening. I should recommend Yaya to also open her third eye so that she can still properly see.
”Good morning, I came here just like what you told me, Miss ”Raven”.
”Good morning Kazuma, please wait a moment, I am preparing it right now. I can't afford to mess it up since your lives might be at risk if I managed to make a wrong move here,” she said as she writes something on an object I can't quite see due to the clutter on her desk but I am quite sure it isn't paper.
A few movements on her hand and another which ended up with a mana transfusion on the object ended up with something glowing on her hands.
”It's done!”
She stood up from her chair and held the items she keeps on fiddling earlier.
”What is that?”
”This is the obsidian stone imbued with pure mana from me. Although it is not designed for offensive purposes, its main purpose is for defensive against the curse. Just by simply having this with you, the disorder can be prevented a little bit though that is not enough to ensure your survival against it. It was to lessen the effects it might inflict on you so still be careful and do not be confident about taking that thing head-on. Also don't forget all the things I have taught you, so relay it to your partner, understand?”
”Yes, Maam!”
”Also, one last thing. Come back safe. That is all it is for me to wish.”
From her words alone, I can feel the pain she is experiencing. I think she has suffered a lot due to this creature. If I can defeat it, then I will do it without fail.
After saying goodbye, I went back to the inn but I didn't get back inside since Maple is already waiting for me outside.
”Are you done with the guild?” she asked.
”Yes. We are set to go,” I nodded.
She pulls out a little stone from her pocket and puts it on the ground.
”What is that?” I asked as I looked at the stone she placed. It doesn't look any particular. The only difference it has with a normal stone is that this stone is currently emitting a faint amount of mana.
”This is a teleport stone. I made it before we started the mission so that we can fast travel from one place to another to avoid wasting time. Are you ready? This is instantaneous so be a little bit prepared.”
And before I can react, she steps on the stone and destroyed it, which in turn glow and swallowed us.
...
Back at the office of ”The Raven,” she was currently drinking tea while facing away from her table, just looking outside the wide transparent glass that shows the high skyscrapers made by other individuals for the Other Realm. Her appearance is calm but she shows a little bit of nervousness in her body language.
”Are you sure to entrust the obsidian to that boy? I know that your sister also entrusted that to you but you failed on the task which ended up at the cost of the lives of countless people. Are you planning on passing the token to him?” Mephistopheles appeared behind ”The Raven”.
”I am not even sure about my actions either. It has been a while since the last appearance of that Creature but the faces of my comrades and my sister after they died in my hands are all as clear as day. There is no way I will forget their faces and their sacrifices just to ensure the creature will no longer cause disaster once again.”
”But remember that it is not your fault. As someone who personally witnessed you claim the lives of your comrades and your sister just to let them out of their suffering is already heroic enough. It is best to let it go and move on from the past.”
”Letting go is not easy. And I will not just forget what I did that time. The burden they left me that time will always be carried by me and I will carry that until the day I draw my last breath.”
”I don't understand you, humans, at all...” Mephisto shook his head.
”There is no need for you to understand it. After all, humans are complicated creatures.”
...
Osaka: 11:00 A.M
Somewhere in between the buildings, in an empty place where trash bags were being thrown away, a large blue magic circle appeared, rapidly rotating on the ground. There was no one around the area so they have not seen the very strong surge of energy gathering in the magic circle. If any normal person has seen the spectacle, they might think it is a form of divine retribution appearing in the middle of nowhere.
...
FWOOOOOOOO!
SHUA!
It was sudden and when I blinked again, we are no longer in the other world streets. We are currently standing in a place filled with trash bags and the likes. It also has some pungent smell of some sort that I can't seem to fully organize.
”We have arrived in the coordinates I set up here in Osaka,” Maple said as she wiped off the dust on her clothes.
”You planted the tools to set up the coordinates here in the dumpster? There is no other place you can do it?”
”This place is the most suitable place due to the dormant mana hovering in this place. I don't need a few catalysts like mana imbued stones to put in here to set up a waypoint for our teleportation. It's much more convenient. Aside from that, this place is quite desolate from the people so there is no need for us to immediately get out of the place to avoid the eyes of the normal people.”
”I see, but why here in Osaka?” I asked.
”There was a tip that someone in here seems to be afflicted with the symptoms of the Crazed Phenomenon Disorder around the area. It is best if we check the infected person and check around the vicinity if we can find the clues about the origin of things around here.”
”Where shall we begin?”
”The victim visited Hirakata Park before. It was near here in our location so we will search for some clues in that area. But we have to be always vigilant as it is crowded. We can't afford to show ourselves as magicians to the public. We must also ensure that if the enemies make a move, we immediately intervene.”
”Who is this infected individual? Is this person currently in Hirakata Park right now?”
”He is somewhere else entirely. The reason I suggested here is because of some suspicious activities happening here. If these suspicious activities prove to be connected to the Crazed Phenomenon Disorder, then we need to remove them out before they grow much stronger which is why we should begin here.”
With the clue on hand, we have our next stop, the Hirakata Park. We just needed to walk from our location for a few minutes before we arrive at Hirakata Park. But before we can even get out of the alley we are in, I immediately noticed the heavy bloodlust and demonic energy that suddenly arrived in our vicinity.
”We have company,” I mumbled and immediately ignited my hands into flames. Maple also pulled out her two short swords from her hip that suddenly materialized after I said that we have company.
”Show yourselves!” Maple said before throwing two flying knives in every direction. I can tell that those are the flying knives she controls with mana so it is fine for her to throw it without retrieving it since they will return to her like boomerangs.
”...AAGGH!”
Oh, it looks like one is hit. As soon as a scream echoed in the alley, several cloaked men appeared from the shadows, wielding dark magic balls. Seeing them charging up to us, I grinned widely and increased the intensity of the flames in my hands.
”Let's dance!”
BOOM!
The enemies were surprised and did not expect me to cause a strong explosion all on my own while they are closing in. The unfortunate ones are those guys that closed in while targeting me. They were caught up in the explosion and they were burned badly.
”We were not informed that they are dangerous! How can those idiots mess up things like this! Retreat!”
Maple's eyes squinted. ”Do you think I will let you lot escape like that? DIE!”
The flying daggers she has thrown earlier came back and it didn't just return to Maple, it passes by from the escaping enemies and slit their throats before they could react. The others who are in the range of Maple were not safe either as they were immediately sliced by Maple using her short swords.
We were assaulted but we killed them. Killing them did not invoke guilt from me even though I just killed a few guys.
”It looks like they are now watching us Kazuma. The enemies have already detected our current position. We should expect things to get rougher now. This is a ”kill or be killed battle.”