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Kyokutou’s capital had been built between the plains bordering the sea and the Sacred Mountain looming behind it.
I had heard that the water flowing from the Sacred Mountain circulated through the city, while the sea supported trade with foreign nations. The mountain was a symbol of the people's faith, and the sea was the source of their livelihood. Protected by both, the nation's heart—the capital city of Hanemiya—had flourished.
We teleported to the site of an old shrine, nestled quietly within the mountain forests on the outskirts of the city. Looking up, I saw the sky had been dyed an absolute black. However, when I turned my gaze away from Hanemiya, a clear blue sky stretched out in the distance.
It was only natural to assume this black shroud was localized over the capital. To be precise, it wasn't quite the same, but it was reminiscent of how volcanic ash chokes the sky during an eruption.
As we approached Hanemiya, we frequently passed groups of people fleeing the capital in terror. In the midst of the exodus, we encountered a second monster. It was in the middle of chasing down the frantic refugees.
"I won't let you ravage this country a moment longer!" Haruto shouted, slamming a fist clad in Ki into the creature.
The blow sent the monster flying. As I suspected, attacks infused with Ki were effective; the creature failed to maintain its form and dissolved into a puddle of liquid mana on the ground.
"...Biologically, it’s essentially a mana lifeform," I muttered while observing the remains.
Shion, standing beside me, nodded in agreement. "Yeah. But it doesn't seem to possess intelligence like a fairy or a demon. It feels like a bestial mana lifeform driven by nothing but instinct."
Mana is originally nothing more than energy. However, on rare occasions, a budding ego known as a "Seirei" can appear. That ego becomes a core, drawing in surrounding mana until it eventually evolves into a sentient being. Beings born this way are mana lifeforms—the ones friendly to humans are known as "fairies," while the hostile ones are called "demons."
However, the monsters appearing now were different. They were unintelligent mana lifeforms, something that seemed to exist halfway between a Seirei and a true mana lifeform.
"So, an unintelligent mana lifeform. Let’s call them 'Genma' for now."
"...I see," Shion whispered. "It has a physical form, but it's... unstable. It feels like something is missing even though it's 'there.' Yeah, it's like a phantom."
"The fact that they lack intelligence makes them even more troublesome," I added. "There's no reasoning with them."
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We continued our sprint, cutting down every Genma we encountered along the way, until we finally reached Hanemiya. The sheer number of monsters swarming the capital exceeded our wildest imaginings.
Men who appeared to be Kyokutou soldiers were fighting desperately in various districts, but they were clearly losing ground. And, just as the girl we had saved earlier claimed, inky mana continued to erupt from the mountainside of the Sacred Mountain. The murky black sky was still expanding. If left unchecked, it would eventually swallow all of Kyokutou.
We had to stop that eruption immediately. However, we couldn't simply ignore the Genma running rampant through the streets.
"We’re splitting up," I proposed. "One team will head for the Sacred Mountain; the other will stay here to purge the Genma."
Shion was the first to act on my suggestion. "Understood! I'm best at wide-area combat, so I'll join the annihilation team. Teruche, I'll pin the Genma down—you finish them!"
"As you wish, Lady Shion," Teruche replied.
As Shion gave her instructions, she unleashed her magic. A torrent of frigid air enveloped a group of Genma. The surface of the black monsters froze instantly, and the moment they were immobilized, Teruche’s Ki-clad daggers pierced through the ice.
"We're in as well, Luna! I'll deliver the finishing blows, so support me!" Oliver shouted.
"Right!" Luna followed suit.
Oliver and Luna joined the fray, their well-coordinated strikes tearing through the Genma one after another.
Haruto watched them for a moment, then muttered under his breath, "I’d like to say I'm going to the mountain, but..." He clenched his fist tight. "If Fuuka and Orun are heading there, that’ll have to be enough. Kati, Huey, let's hunt every last one of these things. We aren't letting there be any more casualties!"
"Understood!" they shouted in unison.
As Haruto prepared to dash off, Fuuka called out to him. "Haruto, did you see Nagisa or the teacher?"
"...No, neither of them. Honestly, the mana has become so unstable since we entered Hanemiya that I can't even use [Bird's-eye Vision]."
"...I see. I understand. Haruto."
"What?"
"Look after the city and its people."
"Yeah. Leave it to me, Princess."
With that, Haruto joined the battle line.
"Let's go, Fuuka," I said.
"—Right."
Leaving our backs to our companions, Fuuka and I began our ascent toward the Sacred Mountain.
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We ran at full speed, cutting down every Genma that crossed our path. Even in the heat of the moment, Fuuka’s sheer combat prowess never ceased to amaze me.
Attacking with Ki was essential to defeating the Genma. Because of this, Shion—who struggled with projecting Ki—and Luna—whose control was still immature—had been relegated to supporting Teruche and Oliver. Ki became exponentially more difficult to manipulate the further it was projected from the body. Most users limited themselves to wrapping it around their skin for defense or channeling it into weapons they were touching.
Fuuka was no different; she fought by coating her blade in Ki—or so I thought. And yet, she was cutting down Genma within a range nearly equal to my own. I could interfere over a wide area using [Psychokinesis], so my range made sense, but Fuuka was accomplishing the same feat through pure close-quarters swordplay.
Furthermore, she wasn't slowing down. While [Future Sight] allowed her to move with maximum efficiency, her ability to maintain such speed and precision was purely a testament to her overwhelming physical capabilities.
The black shroud over Hanemiya didn't seem to reach the heights of the Sacred Mountain. Before long, the inky rain ceased, and patches of blue sky began to peek through the clouds above us.
Eventually, the stone-paved path lead us to a fork in the road. To the left stood a grand gate—the manor of the Shinonome House, Fuuka’s ancestral home.
A single man stood before the gate. Strands of white were beginning to thread through the black hair tied at the back of his head. He possessed a calm, weathered presence that spoke of many passing years. We stopped in our tracks. Even though he was merely standing there, an oppressive aura radiated from him—a silent warning that a single careless movement would result in instant death.
"...Master," Fuuka whispered. Her voice was steady, but I caught a slight tremor of emotion.
So this was Kiryuu Tendou, the man who had taught Fuuka the sword. Kiryuu opened his eyes as if in response to her voice. Upon seeing her, he offered a gentle smile.
"It has been a long time, Princess."
He didn't project any hostility, nor did he seem to be hiding it. He simply welcomed Fuuka with the utmost politeness. Fuuka’s gaze wavered for a split second before her usual resolve returned.
"Yes. It's been a while. I’ve come back, just as I promised."
Kiryuu smiled warmly. "It must have been a difficult journey, yet you have done well to return. Given the circumstances, it is a poor welcome, but it gladdens me to see how much you have grown."
"............Where is Nagisa? Master, you know we need her power if we’re going to fix this, don’t you?"
"I suppose so. With Lady Nagisa’s ability, it would be a simple matter to wipe out the monsters rampaging in Hanemiya. However, nothing must be allowed to happen to her. We have lost much, but I must fulfill at least one duty: the order to protect that lady."
"I’m the one who gave that order, wasn't I? Then I am rescinding it temporarily. I’m grateful you’ve protected Nagisa this far, but we need her now. Tell me where she is."
"I am truly sorry, but I cannot obey that command."
".................."
Though Fuuka glared at him in silent condemnation, Kiryuu’s serene expression didn't falter.
"We're getting nowhere," I cut in. "Fuuka, stopping the eruption on the mountain is the first priority. The two of us will just have to—"
"—If you wish to climb the mountain, you have no need to fight me," Kiryuu interrupted.
"...What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. I am here to protect Lady Nagisa. I have no intention of stopping anyone who wishes to climb the Sacred Mountain."
With those words, Kiryuu turned his back to us. He pushed the gate open and slowly walked back into the manor grounds.
"Orun, go on ahead to the mountain," Fuuka said, her eyes fixed on Kiryuu’s retreating figure. "He didn't look like he was lying. Nagisa is probably being kept under house arrest inside the manor."
Nagisa Asagiri, Fuuka’s junior, possessed the [Soul Manipulation] ability. The demons, like Rasetsu, had been able to manifest in this world by using human bodies as vessels even when mana levels were low, largely thanks to [Soul Manipulation]. Her power allowed her to interfere with the "Seirei"—the budding ego that served as the core of a mana lifeform.
While a sentient demon would resist her, these Genma, which moved purely on instinct, would likely be neutralized without much effort. Against the Genma, Nagisa was our trump card.
"Understood. I'll take care of the mountain."
"Yeah. Thank you. —Orun."
I was about to head up the right path of the fork, which led toward the Tenrei Shrine, when Fuuka called out again.
"What is it?"
"I'm sorry for dumping such a huge burden on you, especially when this is my country’s problem. I know I’ve said this before, but..." Fuuka looked me straight in the eye and took a deep breath. "—I am your sword. When this is over and Kyokutou is reclaimed, I will give my everything to you. So please, lend us your strength."
Fuuka bowed her head deeply. I couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle.
"You're overthinking things. Helping a companion achieve their long-cherished wish is what being a companion is all about. I'm not looking for a reward. Isn't that how it’s supposed to work?"
"...I suppose so." Fuuka exhaled and looked up, a small smile playing on her lips. "In that case—I'm counting on you, Orun."
"Yeah, leave it to me. Don't you lose either, Fuuka."
"Naturally."
I gave a short wave and turned away, heading up the right path toward the Tenrei Shrine. The moment I stepped further onto the Sacred Mountain, the atmosphere shifted. It was a sensation I had grown accustomed to feeling almost every day until recently.
"...Has the entire mountain become a Labyrinth?"
As if to confirm my suspicion, several Genma manifested from the earth. The inky rain had stopped, but since the Evil God’s mana was pooling in this land, it wasn't surprising to see them spawning even without the rain.
"Sorry, but I don't have time to waste on you. Begone."
I used [Psychokinesis] to crush the Genma into the dirt.
If the mountain had indeed "Labyrinthized," there was a high probability that simply following the path or aiming for the peak wouldn't get me to my destination.
If they thought something like this could stall me, they were sorely mistaken.
I immediately replicated Lucre’s [Mana Tracking] ability. Every Labyrinth is powered by a Magic Stone that serves as its core, distributing mana throughout the structure to maintain the space and generate monsters. By using [Mana Tracking], I could trace that flow back to its source.
Essentially, I could find the shortest route through any Labyrinth, even one I had never entered before. Since the mountain had transformed into a Labyrinth, there had to be something here serving as a core. Given the circumstances, it was a safe bet that the Tenrei Shrine sat right on top of it.
"The Tenrei Shrine is... this way."
Annihilating every Genma that tried to block my path, I sprinted toward the shrine.
Thank you for reading. From the next chapter, the story will follow Fuuka’s perspective for a while.