novelThe Witch-Hunter Moves Along With the Flames. (1)
| ← Ch.010 | Ch.012 → |
Part 1
Kamijou stared at the expression of the girl named Index.
His knowledge was complaining. She possessed an eidetic memory and forgot nothing and because of this was capable of memorizing 103, 000 grimoires.
However, this ability was at time a double edged sword: she also could not forget something she would want to forget. The meaningless memories from a three year old department store brochure to everyone's face during rush hour were ingrained in her mind, inerasable.
Magic was necessary to erase her memories every year. If the wiping were to not take place, an overwhelming burden on her brain would have killed her. But, as of then, she, beside Kamijou, gave carefree smiles.
According to her, the savior from her predicament was Kamijou himself. However, he remembered not what he was thinking or what had done.
Then, Kamijou began to think.
He had parted goodbyes with Stiyl and returned Index to the dorm. Next, Kamijou needed to return to the battlefield called Misawa Cram School. Of course, simply bringing Index along was unthinkable, making it preferable to not tell her about Misawa Cram at all.
Though, if he did not produce some reason to leave the house, she may have raised suspicions and perhaps even desire to go as well.
"Touma?"
His palms were sweaty. A precarious situation, he had to avoid allowing Index to go.
"I said... 'Touma!'"
As such, what he had to do was obvious.
Kamijou, to hide his insecurities, launched a barrage of verbal assaults.
"I'M GOING OFF TO THAT SUPER HIGH-TECH PRIMARY CULTURE INSTITUTE! EH? YOU WANT TO GO TOO? I DON'T THINK SO! YOU'RE NOT GOOD WITH MACHINES AND CAN'T USE THE SUPER-MAGENETIC BRAIN DETECTOR! YOU'LL GET LOCKED IN BY THE DOOR'S AUTO-LOCK! SINCE IT'S A LEVEL 4 SAFETY LEVEL, IF THE SYSTEM DATABASE HAS NO DATA ON YOU, YOU'LL GET ELECTROCUTED! BIRI BIRI NEGATIVELY CHARGED IONS OF LIGHT!"
As expected, under bombardment by technobabble, Index's head released steam. It was to be expected. Index, who lacked general knowledge of the modern world, was the type to double-take at a train station vending machine saying "welcome".
"Then, I'll let you know before I go. Dinner's in the fridge. Just microwave it and you can eat it. Don't put the spoon in the microwave or you'll start a fire. And, don't you dare open the freezer to cool yourself."
"Eh? Ah, uu... I can't really use the microwave."
One might suspect how another could misuse a microwave oven. However, Index had once microwaved a convenience store bento's sauce package, which exploded. She also attempted to heat up a half-boiled egg, which also exploded. It seemed that how she used the microwave oven was irrelevant, it would explode anyways. Perhaps she believed that using it was a confident way to cause an explosion.
...Looks like she isn't suspicious. Kamijou analyzed.
He watched Index stare at the microwave oven with narrowed eyes, apparently determined to succeed. He heaved a sigh of relief.
Then, Kamijou realized it.
"Oi! What's hidden in your clothes? More like, your stomach!"
"Eh?" She froze. Then, she turned to Kamijou and spoke."No-Nothing at all!? I swear to God that nuns don't lie!"
The moment she finished, the abnormally large stomach let out a "Mi—", cat's cry.
"OII! SO MUCH FOR FAITH. YOU BROKE YOUR OATH! GET THAT CAT OUT OF YOUR CLOTHES' STOMACH!"
Perhaps because of this discussion with Stiyl and his general nervousness that he did not notice. The cat was likely the reason that Index lagged so long in the alley rather than searching for the rune's source.
"Uu! To-Touma! This piece of clothing is called the Walking Church, right?"
"So what?"
"A church should unconditionally extend its hand to any lost sheet. So, I will protect Sphinx, lost in the streets. Amen."
"..." Kamijou's lips felt somewhat numb."... So, you mean you'll raise the cat inside your cloths, right? I get it! The cat-box sand and toilet will be shoved in your sleeves, right?"
"..."
"..."
"Whatever! I've decided that Sphinx will be protected by the Church!"
"Oi! To the person who thinks before she acts! At least consider the one being taken care o!"
"It's alright as long as I treat it as family!"
"I DON'T WANT TO BE TREATED A DAD BY THE CAT!"
Though he did not want to, Kamijou truly considered dumping the cat on the way to Misawa Cram School. Well... Actually, he did want to. But, if he did so, Index would seek the cat and follow Kamijou the entire way.
"IDIOT! TOUMA IS AN IDIOT! I'LL RAISE THIS CHILD!"
"...Say that when you earn money yourself."
"Actually, Touma doesn't need to feel bad. I just said idiot out of frustration and I don't really think you're an idiot!"
"Are you speaking alien?" If Kamijou agreed to it, Index would follow his lead.
What can I say but... Such misfortune.
Kamijou sighed. Calculating the funds needed to raise the cat, it seemed necessary to reduce the number of meals each day. Why did Index choose that time to adopt a cat?
"......Fine."
"Hm? Touma? What did you say?"
"......Can't be helped. Let's adopt it."
It was fine. It seemed that those kinds of words caused Index to cry tears of joy, an expression of Index's worth seeing.
"Ahh! Father in Heaven! Your warm light of love has finally reached the heartless, cruel, cold-blooded and snake-eyed heart in Touma! Thank you for saving this stray cat's innocent soul; I won't forget this for the rest of my life."
Even as Kamijou Touma thought such things, he could not explain something.
Part 2
Upon leaving the dormitory room, he met Stiyl, whom he had parted goodbye to sometime previously. He was scattering card-like objects around the area.
"What are you doing?"
"Can't you tell? I'm placing a barrier here to build a temple." Stiyl said as he worked."Before we leave for Misawa Cram, who knows who will come here with a stupid reason and kidnap Index? Even if we can only do so much, we can feel a little more optimistic if we leave Innocentius here. If something happens, it can help her buy time to escape."
Innocentius.
Though Kamijou lacked memories, his information database informed him that Innocentius was a humanoid, ultimate weapon consisting of 3000 Celsius flames with an automatic tracking ability. Its only weakness was—
"It can only be used in the boundary that has runes and will disappear if the runes are destroyed."
"...I'll tell you this, " Upon his words, Stiyl's ears twitched."I lost to you last time because of the location, not because I'm weaker than you. If you hadn't set of the sprinklers..."
"Eh? Did we fight before?"
Kamijou, with only knowledge instead of memories, knew how to defeat Innocentius but knew not where the information came from.
"Ku... So you mean to say that that incident was too pointless to remember?" Apparently misunderstanding, Stiyl continued."Then, fine. I won't squabble with you over it. Once I'm done here, the boundary will be complete. And, we'll be able to head to Misawa Cram... how troublesome. I have to set up a boundary to repel magicians but weak enough that that child won't notice."
Stiyl continued to mutter, seemingly quite happy. As such, Kamijou somewhat realized a fact.
"Do you like Index?"
"Eh? EH!?" Stiyl blushed as if his heart had stopped."Wh-Wh-Wh-Why are you saying such ridiculous things all of a sudden?! She-She's a target of protection, not for romance—!"
Kamijou chuckled and ended the conversation because he felt that if he delved deeper, he would dig his own grave. The main point was not whether the current Kamijou Touma liked Index or not but that the current Kamijou's feelings must have been the same as the previous Kamijou.
The current him knew not how the pre-amnesia Kamijou Touma thought of Index or how the interactions went. If Kamijou were to say something contradictory, Stiyl would have realized his masquerade.
It's like there's two of "me"...
Kamijou sighed deeply in his heart. It was inaccurate to say there were two Kamijou's. Kamijou felt that a false him invaded the real one's body and assumed his personality, putting the current him in an awkward situation.
"Before we charge into Misawa Cram, let's talk about our 'enemy. '" Stiyl said, perhaps preventing Kamijou from questioning further. They exited the student dormitory to walk onto the night street. Kamijou listened to Stiyl speak.
"The enemy's name is Aureolus Izzard." He introduced the name."Speaking of Aureolus, there's a person you'd think of... hm? Are you shocked he's so famous? Don't worry, he's just a descent and not as strong as the legend."
"...Who is this Aureolus??"
"... Oh yeah, you don't know about the magic world. But, you have heard of Paracelsus, right?"
"???"
"Ku... ! He's the most famous alchemist in the world!" Stiyl said impatiently.
"So... Is this guy really amazing?" Kamijou asked while walking down the evening streets.
The August sunset burned and the multitude of windows, windmills, turbines, everything, were dyed an orange-red. Kamijou thought it looked exactly like a faded photograph, perhaps assisted by the unrealistic aspects of their conversation.
"He shouldn't be strong... But, what's worrying is the fact he must have some 'secret weapon' to subjugate Deep Blood. The worst case scenario is one where he's used Deep Blood to capture the certain creature." Rather than Aureolus Izzard himself, Stiyl seemed to mind the creature.
However, Kamijou could not comprehend. Even if the conditions were unique, treating the enemy's abilities as secondary was incomprehensible.
"Oi. That's not right, is it? I don't know how powerful vampires are but shouldn't our primary concern be the enemy leader? It's like fighting in a fire. We'll be hurt badly if we're only concerned with the flames."
"Hm? Oh, you don't have to worry about it. Aureolus' name may be familiar but his descendants aren't as powerful as him. And, in the magic world, there's no such thing as an alchemist." Stiyl spoke nonchalantly."Divination, alchemy, summoning... these sound like your world's language, mathematics and history. Japanese language arts teachers wouldn't try to abolish mathematics, right? This so-called-magic is the study of learning a part of everything and choosing a world most suited for the user."
Stiyl also added that the reason Aureolus Izzard became an alchemist was because he was untalented at other roles.
"And, also, alchemy isn't a refined knowledge."
"..."
Though Stiyl stated all of these, Kamijou understood none of it. His knowledge was like a historical calendar. It was because, for Kamijou, alchemy was only a fraudulent gimmick widespread in the 16th century. The purpose of alchemy, to his knowledge, was to fool royalty with scams.
"Alchemy—especially of the late Zurich branch—can be said to be a sub-branch of the Hermes school. Normally speaking, the main purposes were to turn lead into gold, create an immortality elixir, and so on." Stiyl sounded unmotivated, perhaps because it was out of his scope of expertise."But, these were all experiments. They're like what you'd call a scientist, always looking for 'foundations' or 'rules'. Scientists don't care about what they get from the test tube because it wasn't their aim. The same theory applies here. Alchemists weren't actually focused on creating something but pursuing knowledge."
"...Is it like how Einstein was only researching the Theory of Relativity? The atomic bomb was just a by-product?" If one examined it from this angle, scientists were the arrogant type, never considering the effects their creations have on society.
"Yeah. But, besides researching the formula and principle, they have a final goal." Stiyl paused."...It's like a simulation of the world within his brain."
"..."
"If you can understand the all the laws of the world, you could imagine the world in your brain. Of course, if even a single law were to be wrong, the simulated world in the brain would be flawed."
"...? What? What do you mean? Are you talking about abilities similar to esper powers?"
On the primitive islands of the South Pacific like Fiji and Melanesia it was said that: to be leader, one had to be able to predict the next day's weather with just a glance up at the sky.
Though such weather forecast ability seemed esper-like, it was just a result of calculating wind currents, cloud shapes, temperatures and humidity's in the brain. The island leaders never realized that their brains were calculating. Instead, they believed they "listened to the voice of the wind" to predict the weather.
Stiyl's meaning was similar to such an example. While it was true that a leader's mind had simulated the next day's weather, the imaginary world would have been miles away from reality if there were the tiniest error in their supposedly-perfect formulas.
"...Hold on. What could an ability like that do? Are they trying to make some algorithm that predicts the future for them like a weather report?"
"No." He responded easily."What if they could bring something imaginary into the real world?"
It was a shocking declaration.
"For example, there are spells that involve ectoplasm and spells that use telesma to summon Angels. In the magic world, it isn't uncommon to see someone drag their brain's thoughts into reality." Stiyl folded his arms."Thus, it's important to have an ability that lets the brain accurately imagine the real world. Basically, with this power, they could operate the world. Any and all celestial beings or devils would bow before them."
"...Oi... Oi..."
"Of course, it's hard to do. The flow of the river, the clouds, the humans, the blood... there are an infinite number of laws in a world. If someone screwed something up, he wouldn't create an accurate world. One distortion in the world is like a distorted pair of wings. Even if they're summoned, they'd be vanquished."
That's like a computer's processor. Kamijou rationalized. No matter how perfect the process is, if someone forgets to input an extra line, there'll be an error and the program won't execute.
"On the other hand, if he really somehow did it, wouldn't no one be able to go against him? If he could alter the entire world, how could the world win?" Perhaps, deep within him, Kamijou refused to believe it.
He was right. Humans could not defeat "everything" in the world. It did not mean that gods or devils were strong or weak; it was not that. Instead, "everything" in the world also included the people living there, such as Kamijou himself.
The simplest example: a mysterious could make real anything it reflected. No matter how strong Kamijou was, if an opponent created an identical Kamijou, the battle between identical Kamijou's would result in simultaneous deaths.
"I said it before, just relax. Alchemy isn't a refined knowledge." In contrast, Stiyl did not seem anxious."Let me put it this way: If I wanted you to explain everything in the world, including every grain of sand on the beach or stars in the sky, how long would it take you?!? I don't think you could finish in one... two hundred years?"
"That's the situation. In reality, the incantations existed for a long time but the human life is so short no one finished chanting it." Stiyl continued easily."Though they tried all sorts of things like removing unnecessary parts to shorten it or breaking it up to allow each generation and descendant speak 10 lines and so on."
Even under these cases, there was not a single case of success. A completed incantation would have lacked any excessive points. When each generation passed down the incantation, the incantations became gradually erroneous like a game of telephone.
"However..." Stiyl stopped there and seemed to finally show some hostility."...If the alchemists were living things with no lifespan limits, they could recite and complete the very long incantation. Perhaps because of this, the certain creature is such a rather large threat to magicians."
Maybe this is why the aim of the enemy is to get a vampire. Kamijou thought.
To scientists, it was painful when they knew an answer but did not know why.
If an alchemist's body of flesh could not fulfill it, could they not just seek a creature that surpassed a human's limits?
"It's true that this alchemy is still pretty threatening. But, right now, Aureolus Izzard shouldn't be able to do it. The most he can do now is create a few things and turn this Misawa Cram into a fortress and set up numerous traps to prevent outsiders from entering."
"...?" Kamijou felt that something was off. Why is Stiyl so confident? "Oi. Do you know this Izzard guy?"
"Of course I do. We were from Church organizations after all." Stiyl said smoothly."I'm an Anglican and he's a Roman Catholic... We did meet each other, though our sects differ. Though, of course, we aren't friends."
For Kamijou, it was difficult to associate the terms "Church" and "magician" together.
Necessarius', the organization that Stiyl and Index were affiliated with, purpose was to consume magical knowledge and counter magicians. But, they were radicals among the radicals. Even if the Anglicans possessed such an organization would the Roman Catholics, of a different sect, have been similar?
Noticing Kamijou's question, Stiyl frowned.
"Necessarius is an exception amongst exceptions. There can't possibly be similar institutions." Stiyl sighed."But, even if we're exceptions, his job as a secret recorder was a unique example among unique. He basically wrote grimoires in place of the Church. Even thought they were grimoires, the purpose was the complete opposite. It was like a guide to teach things like 'which lines in the Bible could be used to counter spells witches use. '"
Stiyl stretched his arm and shook it about."Of course, it isn't rare to see members of the Church write grimoires as guides. The ones Pope Honorius III and King James I wrote are really famous."
"...I see. So that's why you said Aureoulus Izzard's power isn't really that much."
"That's right. He might be knowledgeable about these things, but he can't fight. He's like a quiet social club member that isn't in a sports club. However, he's still a tough opponent. It's because he's one of the few secret recorders of the Roman Catholics and possessed much influence. The Roman Catholics are planning to determinedly fight him and punish him as a 'heretic. '"
"No, that's not what I meant. I'm saying that Aureolus is a name worth mentioning with the top religious people and kings, right? Are you jealous of him?"
"...I can consider that a taunt, right?"
"I'm up for it if you want to fight but don't mistake me as an enemy right now." Kamijou stared forward."We've arrived at the battlefield."
The pair stopped. Under the seemingly flaming sunset, the building awaited them.
Part 3
"I gotta say..." Kamijou looked up at the building and muttered.
The building could only have been described as strange. The building itself was rectangular and rather standard. However, there were four 12-story buildings on each corner of the junction, forming a "ta" (田). Additionally, the linked pathways were overhead, as if forming a suspended bridge above the road as they linked the buildings.
A building like that violates the Land Area Planning Adjustment Project, right? Kamijou looked up at the suspended corridors. Simply put, the jurisdiction of the sky was under the lands' owners. In other words, the space above the roads should have been public areas.
"Never mind. It's not important." Kamijou muttered and again stared at the Misawa Cram's Academy City branch.
Examining the building, it was implausible for people to associate it with the term "religious science" that was outside of normal understanding. It truly seemed like an ordinary cram school: there were students walking in and out on occasion. It was nothing abnormal.
"Anyways, our initial target is the 5th level of the South Building beside the restaurant. Apparently there's a secret room there." Stiyl said conversationally. The diagram was incinerated after Kamijou read it which possibly meant that Stiyl had memorized the entire map.
"A secret room?"
"Yeah. It should be some trick illusion or distortion that makes people ignorant of its existence. The building's interior is like a kid's toy block, there are many crevices." Stiyl stared at the building."...I found 17 secret rooms just looking at the diagram. And the closest one is the one beside the restaurant on the South Building's 5th floor."
"...Ohh. But, it doesn't look like those booby-trapped ninja houses." Kamijou muttered.
"...Yeah, sure doesn't look like it." Stiyl responded viciously.
"Eh?"
Kamijou turned his head and found Stiyl staring at the building that seemed to penetrate the sky and earth. After a time, he shook his head and sighed."Nothing. In fact, as an expert, I can't find any abnormalities... Nothing at all even analyzing as an expert."
Though Stiyl said it, he seemed stressed. The expression on his face was like that of a doctor who found something wrong on an X-ray but still could not identify the source of the illness.
"..."
It was suspicious, much too suspicious. Though he knew not what was going on, it was much too suspicious.
Stiyl had only said that he could not find anything. He had never said that the building was safe. Inside the building, there could have been numerous mines that they simply did not know about and perhaps there was truly nothing. They could confirm nothing and in essence were entering blind.
Rhetorically speaking, was it safe to enter a building that a magical expert could not vouch for?
"Of course we shouldn't." Stiyl answered concisely."But entering is the only option, right? Our aim is to save people, not kill them. I'd be really grateful if I could just burn this building to the ground from out here." His words had to have been more than half serious.
"Hold on... What do you mean we can only go in? Are we going to go in through the front door? No tactics? Like no way to avoid being detected or beating the enemy safely?"
"What. Don't tell me you have some ideas?"
"...ACK! Are you kidding me!? Are you really going to charge like that? How is that any different from charging into a building occupied by terrorists?! Even if it's just a dumb trick, can't you just throw in bait!?"
"...Hm. Using a knife to carve the rune 'AnsuzGebo' can hide a person's presence."
"THEN DO IT! HURRY UP AND DO IT!"
"Listen to me!" He answered with an irritated tone."Even if we get rid of our presence or become invisible, I'll leave a mana signal saying 'Stiyl Magnus just used magic. '"
"... What?"
"You have no concept of how mana works at all. Seems like I'll have to explain it to you." Stiyl sighed."For example, what if there's a map that only has red colors on it?"
"...Psychologically, I think it's a bad omen."
"Shut up and don't butt in. The red color indicates Aureolus' magic in the entire building. What if I colored this map blue?"
"...I don't really understand but you'll basically be a walking transmitter, right?"
"That's kind of right, but it's more than that." Stiyl continued as Kamijou was about to ask why."Your Imagine Breaker is like an eraser than removes the red color. If one's painting is being eating up, anyone would realize that something's wrong. I wouldn't be detected as long as I didn't use magic but your ability is always active."
"...Alright. So that means we're walking transmitters so there's no point in tactics and might as well enter a building filled with terrorists. Should we ring the doorbell first?"
"And that's why we need your power. If you don't want to be full of holes like a beehive, use your right hand and be a shield."
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! WHY DO YOU ACT LIKE IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU!? IT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE USELESS THAT I HAVE TO DO THIS!"
"Ahahah. No need to be so nervous. It's just an alchemist's magic. Your right hand managed to block the Saint George's Dragon Breath. It should be able to handle it. And, it's useless to rely on me. I sent Innocentius to protect that child and right now I can only use a flame sword."
"WAAAAAAAHH!! YOU REALLY DON'T THINK THINGS THROUGH!!"
Kamijou watched the exit; the automatic doors were not abnormal.
Incidentally, Kamijou did not want to enter. It was to be expected. What person would want to invade a booby-trapped battlefield housing an expectant enemy? What was more, it was the central stronghold for a fanatical religion that none knew the truth about.
However, because of these things, they had to enter. If men trembled before the sight of such a place, how could they allow a girl to remain inside simply because she is called "Deep Blood"?
"Let's go." The magician Stiyl Magnus said. Without another word, Kamijou approached the automatic doors.
Upon entering through the class doors, they found the scene to be extremely normal. Much of the glass that built the hall brought in extra sunlight. The hall itself was extremely wide and approximately three stories high. Near the elevator, a non-renovated staircase was placed for the sake of emergency exits.
Perhaps as a result of being evening, it was break time for ordinary schools. The length of time should have been as long as an afternoon excursion and there were a modicum of student heading out to purchase dinners.
Kamijou and Stiyl were not attracting any real attention, possibly because the manager had not memorized every student's appearance. And, even if they were discovered to be outsiders, considering it was an entrance hall, others would have believed they were there to consolidate the administration process.
...Forget about me, does this guy even look like a student?
Kamijou sighed. Though one could call the man a teenager, he was still a priest that reeked of cologne, had hair dyed red, wore earrings and rings and was quite the ridiculous height.
Who he was aside, looking around, they could find nothing amiss. Those around them walked about seemed quite normal.
"Eh?"
Thus, the only abnormality was rather obvious.
Of the four elevators, between the two on the right, there was a human-shaped robot lying—or rather placed—there. Its limbs were severely twisted and it was like a pile of scrap metal that reminded one of serious traffic accidents.
In terms of type, it was similar to a suit of Western armor. However, the figure was as exceedingly modernistic as a fighter jet with an intrinsic design and a texture that reflected a silver light, dissimilar from ordinary metal plate. An 80 centimeter long bow was dropped nearby, presumably equipment for the machine.
On the object's right wrist was the word "Parsifal" that perhaps represented its name. At first glance, one could tell that the robot could not fulfill its original purpose. The supposed limbs were severely twisted while a slick tar-like black oil oozed from the dysfunctional limbs.
The rusty smell in the air caused Kamijou to frown.
What in the world is that?
First of all, where did this robot come from? The security robots and cleaning robots in Academy City look like large metal cylinders. Kamijou had never heard of such humanoid machines in Academy City that simultaneously lacked mobility.
Second of all, why did this thing break down? Though Kamijou knew not how functional the machine was originally, it was akin to the aftermath of a traffic collision. There would have been no need for such force, correct? What had occurred in that cram school's hall?
And, finally: ...Why hasn't anyone noticed yet?"
The humans there ignored its very existence as if not even worth gossiping over. Rather than a sensation of deliberate ignorance, the machine was like a pebble on the road, unworthy of notice.
It was as if... the damaged robot had snuck into their daily life.
"What? There's nothing here. Anyways, either we find Himegami or crush Izzard. Hurry up." Stiyl said with ease.
"Ah... oh." Kamijou at last managed to tear his gaze from the machine because none beside him paid it any notice, giving him the impression he witnessed a phantom.
But... it was not a phantom. It truly existed before Kamijou's gaze.
"What? Are you interested by that thing? Oh well, that's true, it might be something rare for you." Stiyl had seemed to finally notice Kamijou's interest in the machine.
"We-Well yeah... eh. Hold on. Robots are something from the science side, right?" As Kamijou spoke, Stiyl proceeded to frown."What are you talking about? That's just a corpse."
It was an indisputably shocking reply.
"What...?" Kamijou could not comprehend.
"A caster's incantations and a Heavenly Bow duplicate. This here should be one of the 13 Knights of the Roman Catholic Church. They're probably here to execute the heretic but it looks like they were crushed. Really. Knights were an English specialty and these guys that just love to copy ended up like this." Stiyl shook the cigarette in his mouth."...Tch. Speaking of which, that man in formalin is too sneaky. There was already another church helping out and he still made us enter separately. Was he deliberately trying to make us fail...? It's true that the ones here to settle this mess are elites of the church and it'd be good if he could get even one of them killed..."
Stiyl continued to mutter angrily. Kamijou, however, unaware of the circumstances, ignored it.
Kamijou chose to clearly stare at the something lying on the floor. The limbs were twisted, it was a pile of scrap metal like the wreckage of a collision, the silvery metal body was crushed and reddish-black oil oozed out. The remains of a machine.
No.
What if it were not reddish-black oil but something less black and more red?
No.
What if they were not machinery but a human clad in armor?
"Why are you so surprised?" Stiyl said, as if it were a pedestrian sight."This is a battlefield. What's so strange about seeing a corpse or two on the way?"
"..." Kamijou was speechless. He already knew. He should have known. It was a field of combat where humans killed humans. The enemy had already prepared traps for intruders like Kamijou and simply waited for them to enter. Even then, Kamijou and Stiyl had no intentions of negotiation with the vicious enemy.
Yes, they should have known. Even so, Kamijou could not overlook it.
"Damn it!"
Kamijou dashed toward the corpse. He did not know what he could have done, possibly bandage a few places, the amateur Kamijou knew not even the correct emergency procedurals. Not only was the armor severely damaged to the point of questionable life signs, Kamijou could not think of a way to extricate a person out of the twisted armor. Even so, without clear proof, the human being inside the metal may have been alive. If that were the case, it was possible to save the person if he acted quickly.
Kamijou spent a mere ten seconds to run from one end of the hall to the other. Because the fatality's face was completely encased by the helmet, Kamijou could not see the expression. He could only hear slight air flow through the gap in the block of metal that was a helmet.
He's still breathing!
As Kamijou felt relieved, he realized that he could not move the body carelessly and considered calling for an ambulance until he heard the sound of metal doors sliding apart.
A number of like-aged teenagers exited the elevator and failed to notice the flayed body. It was as if they saw a normal scene, just continuing to walk as they discussed trivialities like "the food in that restaurant is so expensive and so bad I got sick of it, how about we get something to eat from a convenience store."
"You guys—!" They should be saving the injured. Kamijou understood this fact and was unable to maintain his silence. He inadvertently attempted to grab the shoulder of a nearby student."—WHAT ARE YOU DOING? HURRY UP AND CALL AN AMBUL—"
However, Kamijou stopped.
Kamijou's hand was forcefully dragged forward.
No.
Dragged was inadequate. The force he felt was like attempting to grab the driver's side door of a moving truck. The magnitude of the propulsion was completely different.
"WHA—!"
His arm was nearly dislocated. The true shock was that the student had not acted at all. Kamijou's hand on that shoulder felt like a balloon tied to a car. What was more, the person seemed completely ignorant Kamijou's roar let alone his hand.
Before them, Kamijou was like the twisted suit of armor.
"...What's going on?" Kamijou recalled the sensation his hand experienced. While he expected the texture of soft fabric clothing, his hand felt like it passed through extremely hard glue. Forget the student's shoulder, Kamijou could not reach the clothing.
"It's a boundary like the two sides of a coin. The students are on the 'front of the coin' and can't detect those of us on the 'back of the coin. ' We, the intruders on the back, can't interfere with the people on the 'front' who are ignorant. Look." Stiyl spoke like he was chanting and raised a finger to point at a girl walking out of the elevator.
Kamijou's eyes followed the girl's back. She stepped into the blood but her shoes were not stained and left no bloody footprints. The pool of blood acted like one large sheet of hardened plastic.
"Hm." Stiyl carelessly pinched the chewed cigarette in his mouth and pressed the burning red tip to the plastic elevator button. Despite his action, the plastic button was not burnt, let alone melted."I see. So, the entire building is a part of the 'front'? I guess that's right since this is suitable as a fortress against magic. Kamijou Touma, it would seem that with our power alone we may be unable to open a single door, even automatic ones. We're stuck."
"..." A boundary. If it were a supernatural power, even if a term alien to Kamijou, a resident of the science side, was this not an opportunity for Kamijou Touma to rise?
Kamijou clenched his fists tightly. Imagine Breaker. If a supernatural power came in contact with that right hand, it would have been negated, even a miracle of God. It was a unique power among unique powers.
Kamijou clenched his fist and raised it high into the air. He then proceeded to slam his fist forcefully against the floor, wanting to smash the boundary into pieces. Yes, he hammered it down but there was only a dull noise.
"WOAH! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
"What are you doing?" Seeing Kamijou roll about on the floor, Stiyl, overwhelmed, sighed."This's probably like my Innocentius. If we don't destroy the core of the magic, we can't break this boundary. And, most likely... the core is placed outside the boundary or the people inside would be locked in. Hmm. We've got some trouble now."
Kamijou seemed truly unaware of what to do."...Damn it. So, what should we do? We've got an injured person here and we can't call a doctor or take him outside..."
"We don't have to do anything. He's dead."
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? CHECK HIS BREATHING! HE'S STILL ALIVE!"
"Yeah. He's definitely alive if we go by heartbeat. But, his fractured ribs punctured his lungs, his liver's crushed, his pulse is faint... he can't be saved in this situation. His name might as well be 'corpse. '" It was unknown whether Stiyl determined the facts through rune magic, but his words were as cold-hearted as a doctor declaring that a patient acquired a terminal illness.
"...!!!"
"What's with the expression? You knew from the start, right? Even if he's breathing, he can't be saved."
Suddenly, Kamijou lifted Stiyl up at his chest with both of his hands. He could not comprehend. Kamijou could not comprehend. How could the person before him remain so calm? How could he say such words in front of a dying person?
"MOVE ASIDE! THIS PERSON DOESN'T HAVE MUCH—!!"
Stiyl calmly pushed Kamijou aside."We don't have much time. I'll let you cast, what you think is pity, on the dead. It's a priest's job to send the dead to heaven. You, amateur, step aside."
Kamijou, releasing his hands, finally noticed. Stiyl, whose back then faced Kamijou, stared at the knight who was borderline from death. Stiyl was...
He's... angry...?
It was difficult to imagine, given his typical mockery, but Kamijou was not mistaken. At that moment, Stiyl Magnus was not a magician while his back seemed to emanate static electricity, seemingly deflecting everything that came in contact. Yes. This was the back of Stiyl Magnus, the priest.
Stiyl did not enact some obscure, special ritual.
"..." He spoke unintelligible, at least to Kamijou, foreign words. The words came from the priest, not the magician. Kamijou did not know the significance of the action but the formerly immobile knight trembled and raised his right hand, stretching it out at Stiyl as if to catch something in the air.
"......" The Knight spoke as well.
Stiyl nodded his head, Kamijou was as unknowing as always, and the knight's body seemed to relax, losing tension. It was like he had handed over what he had wanted to... with no worries left, he relaxed with relief.
The knight's hand dropped.
The metallic right hand landed on the floor, resounding like a knell.
"..." Still in his priestly persona, Stiyl Magnus drew the cross before his chest. At the point of death, there was no difference between an Anglican and a Roman Catholic. The last rites were still the last rights.
It was then that Kamijou finally realized.
It was a true battlefield.
"Let's go!"
He spoke once more as a magician rather than a priest."It would seem we have one more reason to fight."
Part 4
He was feeling terrible.
Their initial goal was to seek the gaps in the building, the secret rooms. The nearest secret room was on the fifth floor of the South Block building so they began to climb stairs.
Why do I feel like shit? Kamijou wondered as he climbed the narrow emergency staircase. Initially, he believed it was because of the knight and then because the staircase was narrow and dark.
However, there was a physical reason additional to the psychological.
"My legs..." Kamijou looked down at his legs that were showing unnatural fatigue.
The "front" and "back" of the coin meant that magicians who knew of the "back" could not interfere with the citizens of the "front". These were the rules of the game that Stiyl had outlined.
But, the entire building was a part of the "front". The result of this part of the game meant that stepping on the floor would recoil against the foot. To analogize, it was the difference between punching flesh and punching concrete. As they walked on a "ridiculously hard floor", the fatigue accumulated 2-3 times faster.
"We... can only... pray... that the... enemy is in... the same situation..." Stiyl seemed irate that they were fatigued so quickly. Though his build was rather large, it seemed that he had not done much physical training and was unaccustomed to strenuous physical activity.
"Che... if I had known, we should have taken the elevator."
"We're on the 'back of the coin', how can we press a button on the 'front of the coin?' If you can do it, teach me."
"..."
"Even if we did enter the lift, if students on the front used it, we'd be crushed if a lot of them walked in."
The individuals on the "back" could not interfere with those on the "front".
For example, if a car from the "back" collided into a person from the "front", the car would have been wrecked while the human would escape unscathed.
If the lift were crammed with people, they would be like raw eggs in a fully occupied train: crushed....Ugh, this is just getting more and more depressing.
Kamijou lowered his head dejectedly. He was already tired and with the dark and murky thoughts swimming in his mind, he began to want to give up.
Think happy thoughts. Hurry up and think of something happy... Kamijou's heart was in urgent need of rest.
"Oh yeah, where're phones?"
"What?"
"You discussed the 'fronts' and 'backs' of the coin right? Will phones work?" Kamijou asked as he took out his phone. He said the words himself and realized they were excuses. Because too many abnormal things occurred around him, he had to do something "normal" or he felt he may have gone crazy.
As for whom to call, Kamijou needed not a moment to consider: his room. Meaning, he would call the girl who was waiting in his room. As he was about to call, he considered something."...Wait. Wouldn't the enemy detect the signal and attack us?"
"Who knows? But, our existence might already be discovered. We did enter from the front door."
"Then why weren't we attacked?"
"God knows. Maybe it's because they're so overconfident or maybe because they intend to destroy us in one go. That alchemist is that kind of person. Right now, he's probably preparing all sorts of ways to counterattack."
"..." Really? Why in the world does your God exist? However, since their whereabouts were likely exposed, there was no need to dilly dally. Kamijou decided to brazenly make the call.
Three rings.
So it won't work...?
Six rings.
...Looks like I'll have to give up.
Nine rings.
HURRY UP AND PICK UP! Despite his impatience, Kamijou did not want to hang up. During his wait, he had another thought. What if this doesn't have to do with the coin stuff? What if Index doesn't want to pick up? Or... what if it isn't that she won't but she can't?
Don't tell me... Something happened to Index?
Ind—!?
As a mysterious chill rose up in Kamijou's stomach, he was met with a voice, Index's extremely nervous voice to be exact."Erm. Hello! This is Index Libror—excuse me, I'm sorry. This is Kamijou speaking. Hello? Hello?"
"Oi. Tell me..." Kamijou lethargically asked as if he had just trialed the wrong method of dieting."...is this is first time you've answered a phone call?"
"Uweeh!? Th-This voice is Touma's. Eh? Do all voices sound the same in phones?"
He then heard the sound of knocking. It was likely a puzzled Index with a tilted head, knocking the receiver against the floor.
"INDEX! STOP HITTING THE MACHINE WHEN YOU THINK IT'S BROKEN! THAT'S WHAT A GRANNY WOULD DO TO FIX SOMETHING!"
"...That's weird. The only person who'd say such stupid things is Touma."
OI!!! Kamijou retorted silently.
It was expected considering it was her first time responding to a phone call (though it seemed she had seen others answer before, judging from her initial "hello"). Apparently she paced frantically in front of the phone but as it continued to ring she was forced to answer.
The "magic" expert who commanded the knowledge of 103, 000 grimoires apparently understood nothing of science, a fact that amused Kamijou. However, Kamijou remembered something from his knowledge base that said that Index lacked most of her memories save but a year's worth.
Considering that such a comical deficiency was caused by memory loss was actually quite heartbreaking.
"Niyai? Touma? Why did you deliberately use such a troublesome, exaggerated, excessive and unfriendly thing like a phone? Did something serious happen?"
"Ah... nothing..."
It seemed to Index telephones were an abnormal existence."Ah. Is it because one of the two lasagnas in the refrigerator was for Touma!?"
"You ate it? ...Oh well—"
"Ah!" Before Kamijou could continued, Index exclaimed."Ah! There was pudding in the refrigerator...!"
"YOU ATE IT!?! THAT WAS MY PUDDING!!!"
"But there was only one!"
"CAN'T YOU THINK ABOUT THE MASTER OF THE HOUSEHOLD!? IT WAS BLACK HONEY PUDDING! ONE OF THEM COSTS 700 YEN!!!" Kamijou grieved."...Ugh... O-Oh well. Never mind. I went off on a tangent. Since the call connected, never mind."
"...? Touma were you looking for me or something?"
"Argh. I'm just testing if I can reach you. I'm hanging up."
"??"
Right about now, Index is probably tilting her head in confusion, right? Kamijou thought and continued."Ah. Oh yeah. Did you know, Index? For every minute you use a phone, your lifespan is shorted by a day?"
WAAHHH! The phone line cut off. It seemed the receiver was dropped onto the floor.
"...Such a simple-minded person." He spoke to himself, having taken his pudding-induced revenge, and hung up the phone.
"..." However, it seemed the magician wished to say something.
"Wh-What?"
"Nothing." Stiyl sighed."It's just that I think you're too relaxed. This's a battlefield and yet you're nonchalantly chatting away with a girl. I don't really care if you die because of carelessness. In fact, I'd be dancing in joy, but, please don't drag me down."
"Are you jealous?"
"Ku... Ugh..." Stiyl silently seemed like he would burst 60% of his blood vessels. Kamijou began to understand how to handle the person before him.
"...Yeah, that's right." Stiyl's words induced surprising shock for Kamijou, though he knew not why he was so affected."...Don't be mistaken. I'm not considering that child a target of romance."
Without looking at Kamijou's face, Stiyl continued."You should know that up until now, the child had her memories erased in one year intervals or die. Then, you can understand how many people were once in your position."
"..."
"Many have wanted to be her father, some, her older brother, others her good friend, and some even her teacher." Stiyl elaborated."It's like that, just that simple. I failed in the past and you succeeded. This's the only difference between you and me."
Stiyl stared at Kamijou's face and looked like he was facing an impossible future."However, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't care." He said with a sigh."Besides, she didn't really abandon me, just forgot. If she recovered her memories, she'd coming running at me to hug me."
Kamijou had no response. If there was a person, a really important person, that lost her memory... and unknowingly, someone just stepped in and accompanied her, how would I feel? Could I remain calm? Kamijou mused to himself. No, this isn't just a problem of someone else being beside her.
Would he not have felt betrayed by this important girl? However, the man before him still believed in himself, still following through with his belief.
So strong.
Kamijou looked back at his phone and considered the meaningless five minute conversation. A person had actually given up everything he had in order to protect the person important to him, knowing there was no going back.
Such were people's hearts. These hearts were crushed under the current Kamijou's feet. What right did he of the moment have to keep the girl for himself?
...I don't know.
If it were her only wish to maintain the status quo, Kamijou would have protected it until the end. However, Index had "merely forgotten." How could a girl who was unaware of the other possibilities be expected to make a decision?
I don't know. But, if Kamijou Touma really saved Index...
Yes, if it were the case, he had to take up the burden of protecting her. It was like enthusiastically giving a cat food but not taking it home, despite knowing it would die of hunger. Instead of giving the cat the hope that "this person might keep me, " it would have been better to give it despair from the beginning.
However...
The one who saved her wasn't the current "me".
His thoughts came full circle.
Who Index needs is the Kamijou Touma of before.
Part 5
After climbing to the fifth floor, Kamijou and Stiyl arrived at a corridor.
Stiyl had completely memorized the diagram of Misawa Cram School, which was why they had gone to that floor. Using the parameters of the diagram and actual measurements taken through infrared and ultrasonic means, he had derived error spaces.
Halfway through the middle of the straight corridor, Stiyl lightly knocked on a normal-looking wall.
"...Even if we're right here, if we can't open it, we have to give up, right?"
"Yeah."
Even if it were a normal room rather than "secret", for Kamijou and Stiyl, as residents as the back, could not open the door. If they wanted to enter, they could slip in once a student of the front opened the door. However, if a secret room, students may not go in and out.
"But it's best to check out the situation. No matter how strong the boundary is, the caster is Aureolus. We can just force him to remove the boundary by threatening—or killing—him."
"..." Kamijou inadvertently stared at the other. It was a "battlefield, " and Aureolus was the "enemy" to defeat. Kamijou understood this. Considering the imprisoned Himegami Aisa and the knight killed by Aureolus, one could imagine the precariousness of the situation.
However, even so, Kamijou could not say something like kill Aureolus because his actions taken on the knight was also self defense.
He had said "kill him" instead of "beat" or "stop", there was no ambiguity.
They headed down the wall nearest to the secret room and they arrived at the student cafeteria. It seemed they were mixing the people into the wide room to dilute the secret room's existence. It applied an allusion and there were no doors for secret room visible from the cafeteria entrance.
To prevent themselves from being caught in the crowded entrance, Kamijou and Stiyl entered the cafeteria.
The individuals on the back could not interfere with the people on the front. Boys fought for the few available seats and the girls carried trays of food and chatted away as they walked. People rushed about like bulls. Unlike a corridor, the movements in the wide cafeteria were unpredictable. Kamijou and Stiyl were carefully avoiding the crowd.
Since it was evening, many students were in the cafeteria. It was actually quite the refreshing experience for Kamijou to have others ignore his presence, a feeling unknown when moving in traffic jams. Those experienced in such matters would realize that surrounding people consciously avoid one another to prevent collision.
The secret room contained a counter and behind it a small kitchen. The large freezer and utensils made the kitchen feel even more cramped, causing others to be ignorant of the space's actual size.
"...Hm. It's my first time actually seeing a science religion but it doesn't look like much. It thought they'd at least put up the picture of some bishop."
"...It's true it doesn't look that dangerous." Kamijou looked around.
In the realm of science, there were indicators of a religion's fanaticism. For example, there include the level of acquiring funds from believers, the expansion level of indoctrinating new believers, the absolutism level where believers accept all orders even at risk of self-destruction, the dangerous item level where poisonous gases or explosives are produced, and so on. Religions that scored higher were deemed as decidedly more dangerous.
From a scientific viewpoint, Misawa Cram was unlike truly dangerous religions. As members were students, acquiring significant funds was unlikely and as a cram school, creating chemical weapons was not a feasible idea.
"...No. This really is a dangerous science cult." Kamijou said disdainfully.
Though the students were gathered in a cafeteria, the atmosphere was as heavy as an elevator.
It's to be expected, Kamijou thought. Everyone here might be talking happily but the conversations aren't. They had little else to discuss aside from things that belittled others like "how many I beat the last practice exam, " "how many points my score went up, " or "I don't understand how there're trash who won't study" for the sakes of self-gratification.
Kamijou examined an extremely ordinary cram school poster on the cafeteria wall. On it were two extreme sentences, "If you study hard now, you'll get into a great school and assure yourself a great future." and "If you don't study now, you'll end up at the bottom and meet misfortune."
This is just like chain mail. He thought. Chain mails were prank mails that promised good fortune or unhappiness with things like "If you send this mail to 7 persons within 7 days you'll be happy forever. If you don't you'll be unlucky." Such threatening intents were no different from radical religions.
"Hmph. This school's motto is something like 'extremely smart shall be those that study here, ' right? Well. These teachers must be brainwashing the kids with things like 'this is something that'll definitely be tested. I'm telling you, those that didn't study here over the summer are inferior', huh?"
"How infuriating." Kamijou muttered with true disgust. He was unhappy that he could actually somewhat empathize for them. Exams tend to be involved in superstitions. Regardless of their sedulousness, students tended to attempt unscientific foods that increased concentration or would even bring to the exam hall talismans for becoming the top scorer.
It was a deficiency called insecurity. The religion of Misawa Cram exploited this gap and stabbed into it with a knife.
"Hm. Seems like you've been interested by the fanatical gas, eh? But, don't forget our aim. We need to find the secret entrance."
"Oh. Okay, okay! I got it!" Kamijou took a deep, calming breath and turned to examine the entire cafeteria.
Immediately, approximately 80 students turned to stare at him. Initially, Kamijou was under the impression that his loudly speaking resulted in attracting their attention.
"Well. This doesn't look good... Is this the first safety?"
Despite Stiyl's voiced seriousness, Kamijou could not react."Ah? Eh?"
"Don't you understand the situation? The people on the front shouldn't be able to see those on the back. I see... so there's an alarm like this around the secret room?"
"..." Kamijou peered around.
Close to 80 students were without question staring at them. Their individual humanness had disappeared and was replaced with a blank, glass-like stare.
"Do-Don't tell me—"It was true. The students were residents of the back of the coin."—a magician!"
As Kamijou shouted out without meaning, Stiyl had abandoned Kamijou and back away.
"The wings of the seraph shines brightly and the bright light is a pure white color that reveals all sins..." One of the students near the front began to mutter ambiguities.
"The pure white color is proof of purity, the mark is the result of one's actions..." An additional voice overlapped with the first.
"The result is the future, the future is time is uniform..." A second, third, fourth, fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twelfth thirteen fourteen fifteen sixteen seventeen eighteen nineteen...
"Uniformity is all, all is created by the past, the past is the cause, cause is one. One is sin, sin are humans. Humans fear, fear is guilt. Guilt resides within oneself. If in oneself there is something one despises, the wings of the seraph shall reveal your sins and purge it from within!"
An 80-person chorus, or perhaps a pugilistic verbal maelstrom created by the thousands within the building, echoed unceasingly.
Hovering in front of each student's forehead was a ping-pong ball sized blue-white glow. Perhaps the orbs were beginning to gather as they floated and even stuck to the floor below Kamijou, coming from the lower floor.
And then, like explosives or the sizzling of a strong acid, the orbs emitted smoke. Touching even one would have caused burns.
"Oi! Strongest shield Imagine Breaker! It's time for you to step up!"
"What? Oi!" Peering back, the uncountable orbs were closing in, blocking Kamijou's line of vision."Uwah! With so many... HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO BLOCK THEM ALL?!"
With a mad dash to the exit, Kamijou chased Stiyl's back and overtook him. Stiyl, who had thought Kamijou would act as a shield, felt some panic and escaped behind Kamijou out of the cafeteria.
"Wh-Why are you running away?! You're the shield! Your right hand blocked Dragon Breath! Instead of using your right hand you're running away with your back exposed!? Are you crazy!?"
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!? I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT FROM SOMEONE USING ME AS A SHIELD! THIS IS A CASE QUANTITY NOT QUALITY! HOW CAN I NEGATE ALL OF THAT WITH ONE RIGHT HAND!!"
To analogize, it was like fighting something with four limbs. Even if one flawlessly guarded against two limbs, the other two could still strike. An individual's power was unlikely to make that of a group's.
With a boom, a large number of the orbs filed out of the entrance and flooded out the floodgates that were the cafeteria entrance. Kamijou and Stiyl could only run down the corridor.
"Tch. Speaking of which... this might be a replica, but to be able to replicate the Gregorian Chant means I underestimated Aureolus Izzard.
"What's this Grego whatever?"
"Once, it was the ultimate weapon... A grand spell that required 3, 333 praying monks gathered in a cathedral. It was like running sunlight through a magnifying glass to increase output." Stiyl grit his teeth."Though this's a replica with only 2, 000 students, as the saying goes in this country, 'pile up sand and you can build a tower. ' Its power can't be underestimated."
Kamijou was stunned. Though his understanding was limited, did it not mean they were not facing 2, 000 opponents? It was a battlefield and he was in the midst of an enemy camp, this much he could understand, but the concept of fighting 2, 000 individuals was despairing.
"Then there's no way we can beat this head on! Even if this place is huge, we'll still get caught playing hide-and-seek with 2, 000 people!"
| ← Ch. 010 | Ch. 012 → |