Volume 7, Prologue

Volume 7, Prologue

In all likelihood, it had been connected by a single thread from the beginning.

It was just that no one could see it.

Zashiki Warashi – Yukari

“I would rather you didn’t shove all the battling onto a Zashiki Warashi. I am completely confident I would lose spectacularly to another Youkai and even to a human if they were Onmyouji class.”

Hafuri(?)

“We are retrieving our former glory by taking back the Zashiki Warashi that left our house.”

Jinnai Shinobu

“Fall down to the depths of the earth, Hyakki Yakou!!”

Succubus

“Anyway, I was a character involved in all of this, so how about you reach out a loving hand to help me. More specifically, Hyakki Yakou proved more of a threat than I thought and I can’t seem to escape them, so shelter me here☆”

Each incident had been on a large scale and they had not had time to take a step back and view it as a whole.

They never considered that something lurked deeper inside.

Marguerite

“I do not care about the economic damage the Australian government is so concerned about. I want to acquire the Succubus in your possession and rise to the position of the true witches of old.”

Marguerite

“The witch Marguerite Steinhols and the demon Tselika Wien Alpha Chelydia Lumidrier now enter into an honest connection that crosses this honest world.”

Succubus

“The real question is whether a witch who thought a Succubus would be a nice, safe option will be able to control a great demon that just barely did not rank on the level of a demon that symbolizes one of the seven deadly sins.”

The biggest cause would have been Zenmetsu Village ruled by the Toubyou.

But even that fact only becomes clear in hindsight. They had not had the time to think about it at the time.

Aoandon

“This is the birth canal. Normally, I would have waited a bit longer, but you are special. I thought it would be best for you to face me before the rest of the world.”

Jinnai Shinobu

“Then what about 110? Or how about 120? As the number leaves that perfect framework, the golden ratio holding your body together will crumble!”

Aoandon

“Well. Just that way a bit.”

The past and future were caught in the middle as the dominos fell one by one.

Strange coincidences lined up and linked to a large inevitability.

Zashiki Warashi – Yukari

“Hyakki Yakou Prototype Ver. 39 Zashiki Warashi. Hyakki Yakou attempted and failed to create a method of creating a completely different line of destiny from nothing.”

Sotobori Gaku

“Believe it or not, the kid who killed that detective was only about ten. I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but that’s what led me to become a detective.”

Aburatori

“So what do you think the ‘original incident’ was? Do you remember, Jinnai Shinobu-kun? Do you remember just how you were torn to pieces?”

Aoandon

“First, how about you tell me your name? I of course already know it, but I want to hear it from you.”

Saiki Kazu

“Saiki Kazu. I am a former assassin, former fortuneteller, and former suicidal man, but now I am simply unemployed.”

And in the publicly managed casino at Goldmine Island, they suddenly found themselves swallowed up by a great current.

Just as one cannot jump from a train running at full speed, everything was carried to some place.

Sid Clouds

“The trait of controlling pure gold was used to cause intentional connection issues in the semiconductors and destroy the smallest clusters within the financial trading system. Perhaps you could call it a national suicide Package.”

Hasukawa Yumi

“I will be leaving this country for the time being. I feel bad for leaving behind those on our military bases, but if I stay here any longer, I will undoubtedly get dragged into the blue light issue.”

Hafuri

“Risk simulation of a large scale terrorist attack. Increased possibility of fatal damage to a nation in the near future. The assumed enemy is a Japanese Spirit...the Blue Lamp?”

Jinnai Shinobu

“The Aoandon!?”

It had finally begun.

But how many people had truly realized it?

Yonesaki Hiro

“Ranzono-san isn’t that kind of person. She wanted to protect the Oomukade and Tsuchigumo that were her friends, so she wouldn’t be able to put my parents or my class in danger!”

Hishigami Mai

“And the whole deal with the Oomukade and Tsuchigumo’s home smells fishy to me. A Package driving old people to a lonely death was active near Sugamo at the time. Maybe someone used that to corner Ranzono Sachi-chan.”

Byouki User

“Ah ha. Amazing. You’re simply amazing! And yet I...I never had a single person think of me like that!!”

Illness Magic User

“Enough. Once I settle all of this, you stand back up on your own two feet. I’ll be that special something for you.”

Ranzono Sachi

“I...I can...help all my friends...”

Aoandon

“Oh, c’mon. All I did was open the door to Sachi-chan’s heart. I’m not writing anything extra in there.”

Oomukade

“Sachi!! ...Understood. I will go with you, Aoandon. But I will almost certainly destroy your plan from within.”

Illness Magic User

“Bringing them together would never make a cohesive fighting force.”

Saiki Kazu

“No. They’ll most likely end up killing each other. But that’s fine as long as the battle provides the winner with enough experience points. In the end, it will still give us a powerful addition to our team.”

Hishigami Mai

“Matsukai Hiroshi who was chopped in two was a member of the Aoandon’s team. He was creating a special program for the Aoandon.”

Mishima Jun

“The national suicide Package from that special casino district was only one thing Nagatacho Station does. The deepest part of the station holds a secret server. All of Japan is there. But there was a vulnerability in the process of switching to the highest security level and they took advantage of it. It was in preparation to cause this attack on the infrastructure across Japan.”

Hishigami Mai

“Don’t get cocky now, okay? I know you haven’t forgotten what happened when you tried to create a mass-produced paranormal unit meant to directly judge crimes involving Youkai.”

Mishima Jun

“I know. And I can never repay the debt I owe to Hyakki Yakou’s previous generation. ...It was my arrogance that led to that husband and wife’s death.”

Aoandon

“The Japanese DNA Standard and the junk DNA created by the shared environment between multiple samples. If I get that, I can freely twist the definition of this country’s people. Was it stored in the mountains near Noukotsu Village? Now, it’s time for the ultimate entertainment!!”

Hafuri

“We cannot allow the Aoandon’s group to steal that. Our destination is Noukotsu Village. Everyone, do whatever it takes to destroy them here.”

Saiki Kazu

“Tselika Wien Alpha Chelydia Lumidrier. ...Appear, Tsuerika Nyorai. It is time to begin your work.”

An archdemon that shot past the puny definitions of “Youkai” or “Spirits” roared in the center of that familiar village.

And a certain boy’s small world was destroyed.