The sky had been clear that morning, but the further west I went, the more the clouds began to gather.
After seeing off Luna as she headed toward Shion, I shifted my focus.
"Nagisa, do you know where Haruto-san is? If you could give me a specific location, it would be a huge help."
"Yes. Please wait a moment."
Nagisa quietly closed her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her chest.
By using an expanded interpretation of her Soul Interference ability, she could track the positions of not only demons but also those close to her. I had heard that while there was a limit to its range, she could locate anyone as long as they were within the country.
A faint light rose from her palms and eventually stretched toward the north.
"...I see him. Haruto-san is currently in the forest near the northern agricultural city of Honae."
"Honae, huh?"
If the Federation was attacking, I expected him to be near the western trading city of Tsuranami. Why was he in the north?
While the question lingered, I used my own ability to replicate Mental Transmission. I projected my consciousness northward, extending a path until I found him almost immediately.
'Haruto-san, can you hear me?'
His response was instantaneous.
'Orun! You're back!'
'Yeah. I heard from Nagisa that the Federation is attacking. Give me a status report.'
'The enemy hit us from three directions. I’m handling the north with Teruche, Fuuka’s in the south, and Katina and Huey are covering the west.'
'Three fronts at once... that's a headache.'
'Yeah. But we've already pushed them back here in the north. We're just mopping up remnants in the forest now. Teruche is keeping her defensive arrays up, so we’ve managed to keep casualties to a minimum.'
The forest near Honae was a solid choice for a defensive line. By using the terrain to their advantage, even a small force could hold their own.
'What about the south and the west?'
'Enemy numbers were thin in the south, and they had Fuuka to deal with. I wouldn't be surprised if she’s already finished. The real problem is the west. That’s where their main force is.'
'Tsuranami.'
'Exactly. The Federation fleet is on the move, and it's massive. Their true objective is definitely an invasion from the west.'
Haruto’s voice dropped an octave. He was clearly feeling the weight of the situation.
'Can I leave the north to you?'
'Don't even worry about it. Teruche and I are both in top form. we'll have this place suppressed in no time.'
Ending the transmission with Haruto-san, I redirected my focus south toward Fuuka. I concentrated my mana into a single point, weaving a thin thread of spirit to reach her.
I checked in with her just as I had with Haruto-san. As he’d predicted, she had already suppressed the enemy forces. She truly was dependable. I told her to remain in charge of Hanemiya’s defense.
The north and south were secure. That left only the west.
The wind was picking up, carrying the faint scent of brine. It felt like the heavy atmosphere right before a storm.
"Oliver, we’re moving."
"Got the gist of it?"
"Yeah. We’re going to intercept the enemy's main force. Our destination is off the coast of Tsuranami."
"Understood."
With Oliver ready, I gave one last instruction to Nagisa.
"I’m keeping the path between us open. If there's any major movement from Fuuka, Haruto-san, or anywhere else, let me know immediately via Mental Transmission."
"Understood! Orun-san, I’m so sorry to drag you into this country’s mess again, but I’m counting on you!"
"There’s a good chance I’m the reason this started in the first place. If anything, I’m the one causing trouble for Kyokutou. There's no need for you to apologize, Nagisa. I’m off."
I exchanged a nod with Oliver, and we kicked off the ground simultaneously. Activating Flowing Flight: Elceria, we streaked toward Tsuranami.
The scenery beneath us receded in a blur.
As we reached the western region of Kyokutou, the blue sky began to stain a leaden gray. The wind grew turbulent, and clouds hung low and heavy. A somber, oppressive aura permeated the air, as if something were trying to shroud the western edge of the country from sight.
"...That's a nasty-looking sky," Oliver muttered.
"It’s likely not a natural phenomenon. The mana disturbances are too intense."
"A demon's work?"
"No, I doubt it's just Funshaku. This is probably the aftermath of her clash with Shion."
"The result of extreme cold and heat colliding, then..."
As we pressed on, a gap in the clouds revealed the sea. Black waves churned violently, and several silhouettes of ships were visible amidst the swells. More than half of them were already ablaze. The scent of charred canvas stung my nose, accompanied by the distant sound of wood splintering and iron screeching.
"...How horrific."
"So this is what war with magic weapons looks like."
"......"
Smoke trailed on the wind, leaving faint streaks of cannon fire in the air. However, the fighting itself seemed to have already reached a lull.
Just to be sure, I reached out to Katina.
'Katina, can you hear me? What’s the status of the battle?'
'Ah, Orun! I was just about to report in. We won! The Federation forces have started preparing to withdraw!'
'...I see. That's a relief.'
'A Kyokutou ambassador is currently arranging a meeting with the Federation commander. We should have a ceasefire soon.'
At those words, the knot of tension in my chest loosened. It seemed the battle was over for now.
In that case, I should head toward Shion. While I trusted Luna, I was still worried about her.
Right as that thought crossed my mind, I felt a faint gaze fixed on me.
As the shadows of the clouds drifted across the water, I caught sight of a small figure on the surface of the sea. A child was clinging to a piece of driftwood, bobbing among the waves and looking straight up at us.
(Why is there a child out here? Was a civilian evacuation ship caught in the crossfire?)
A dozen questions flashed through my mind, but saving them took priority over answers. The sea was freezing this late in the year. If they stayed in the water, hypothermia would set in quickly.
I descended slowly and approached the child.
"Hey, are you all right?"
There was no response. The child simply stared at me with an expressionless gaze. They were likely in shock after witnessing the horrors of the battlefield. It was only natural.
I spoke again, keeping my voice as gentle as possible.
"It’s okay now. It’s dangerous here, so let’s get you to safety."
I reached out to lift them from the water. Their small body was shivering—likely from the freezing sea. I was considering whether to fly them straight to the shore when their lips moved.
"...Are you Orun Doura?"
"......"
My mind went blank for a second. How did they know my name?
I had been living in this country for a month, but I had stayed entirely out of the public eye. The only people who knew I was here were my companions and the Kyokutou leadership. While most of the populace knew of the criminal known as the "Demon King," they had no idea he was currently in Kyokutou. To everyone else, I was just another one of Fuuka’s associates.
"...I'm glad to see you can still talk. For now, let's get somewhere—"
I forced a smile, but before I could finish the sentence, a flash of light cut through the air. A sharp pain bloomed on my cheek.
"—!?"
I reflexively twisted my body as a silver blade whistled past my eyes. The tip of the knife sliced the air, leaving a shallow gash on my skin. A single drop of blood fell into the sea.
Suddenly, four figures surrounded me. They were all children wearing red haori.
And they were flying.
As far as public knowledge went, flight magic was a technology that hadn't been developed yet.
"How are you staying airborne—"
A volley of light bullets cut me off. I threw myself back, deploying a magic barrier to intercept the direct hits. As I skidded across the surface of the sea, I took a closer look at the enemies' equipment.
Beneath their red haori, intricate magic circles were embroidered into the cuffs and backs of their clothes. Mana pulsed through the fabric, glowing faintly.
(I see... those magic tools are acting as flight stabilizers.)
The children remained silent, shifting their formation to tighten the encirclement. In the center of it all, the boy I had just been trying to save stood perfectly still on the surface of the water. His expression hadn't changed, but his voice was unnervingly steady.
"—First verification experiment, complete. Proceeding to the second verification experiment."
A pitch-black Magic Stone appeared in the boy's right hand. A dense, thick darkness pulsed within it.
"Stop!"
Before my voice could reach him, the boy dropped the stone into the sea.
The moment it touched the water, a heavy thud vibrated up from the seabed. Immediately after, the ocean surged. A massive pillar of dark water shot toward the sky, and a gargantuan shadow emerged from the depths.
It was a Genma—a monster the size of a mountain, resembling an octopus with a forest of writhing tentacles.
Without distinguishing between Kyokutou or the Federation, the creature’s tentacles lashed out, smashing the nearby ships to splinters.