Strike the Blood - Volume 16 - Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO 

BEASTS OF THE DUNGEON 

1 

On the beach, with the powerful rays of the sun pouring down, a Japanese-style parasol cast a thick shadow. 

Placed directly under the parasol was a rattan-weave, expensive-looking summer bed. Elegantly lying atop it was a young woman in a bathing suit. 

Her hair was dirty blond; in addition to being brushed haphazardly, it had an odd gradient beginning close to the roots. She wasn’t ugly, but she wasn’t the kind of beauty who could turn heads, either. Thanks to her lips being stretched in a thin smile, she somehow came off as mischievous. 

On the other hand, her body was top-tier. Her torso was well-proportioned, and her breasts were bountiful, and clad in a bold, tricolor bikini that grabbed attention. Were it not for the white gown she wore draped over her shoulders, surely no one would believe that she was an instructor from the College. 

Kako Magatoki was her name. 

She was responsible for overseeing Federal Onrai Island College of Magical Arts’s Squad Fourteen—aka the Kasugaya Squad. 

“Pardon me.” 

Speaking to her in an overly serious tone was Shizuri Kasugaya, dressed in her school uniform. Kako briskly lowered the large sunglasses that covered half her face, looking back as Shizuri stood at attention. 

“Ah, it’s you. Shizuri Kasugaya Castiella. Still wearing that stuffy-looking wimple, I see. Why don’t you change into a swimsuit, too? I have one that is quite appropriate for you right here…” 

“I am fine. School is still in session, after all.” 

“A pity.” 

Kako was truly dejected as she stuffed a white micro-bikini with tiny strings back into her gown pocket. Wondering how that swimsuit could be described as appropriate , Shizuri was stricken with the urge to follow up with her assigned instructor. 

She buried that urge deep down, though. Instead she asked stiffly, “Instructor Magatoki, could you give me a little of your time?” 

“Ah, I don’t mind. I would be happy to. What is on your mind?” 

“This concerns the incident at Training Structure Eight last night. I believe I sent you a report.” 

“Training Structure Eight… Ah, you mean that .” 

Kako put a hand on the tropical cocktail on her side table and took a sip. Shizuri grimaced at the faint whiff of alcohol hovering in the air. However, she spoke not a single word of complaint, because she acknowledged Kako’s skill. 

In spite of her insufficient seriousness and level of diligence, Kako’s might as a magic user was far ahead of the norm. Even among their illustrious instructors, surely none would object that she was the strongest among them. 

It was Kako who had prophesied that the amnesiac Kojou Akatsuki would wash up on Onrai Island and she who had ordered Shizuri to recover and observe him. The fact that Kako had nominated herself as Kojou’s assigned instructor was not unrelated to the acceptance of his enrollment into the College. 

“I have read your report, of course,” Kako said bluntly, still holding the cocktail glass. 

“Initially, I found it difficult to believe a Debris had appeared on the surface…and that you were saved by a spirit girl, doubly so.” 

“But…!” 

Kako put a stop to Shizuri’s nervous rebuttal with a light lift of her hand. “I am not doubting your report. We, too, had ascertained that rumors of a spirit were spreading among the student body. And at the very least, the training building has very much been destroyed.” 

“ Sí …” 

Shizuri reluctantly nodded and backed down. For some reason, Kako smiled at that. 

“Besides, no student currently exists on campus that could employ sorcery with that level of destructiveness. Shizuri Kasugaya Castiella—this includes you. Am I mistaken?” 

“That’s correct.” 

I suppose she’s right , thought Shizuri. Even if it was a weathered wooden structure, it was still a school building, its size and stoutness incomparably beyond that of the average civilian structure. It was effectively impossible for a single human caster to employ a spell to send it flying with a single blow. Of course that went for vampires and beast people as well. 

Yes, under normal vampires at least— 

“The single exception is Kojou Akatsuki, then? I would think the power of a Beast Vassal of the Fourth Primogenitor could blow one or two school buildings away with ease.” 

“K-Kojou Akatsuki is not the culprit!” Shizuri shouted on reflex. 

Kako chuckled, narrowing her eyes in even further amusement. Shizuri’s face reddened as she shook her head. 

“Ah… In other words,” Shizuri clarified, “he was under my observation at the time the Debris appeared. In the first place, he is incapable of summoning Beast Vassals in his current state.” 

“I trust you, Shizuri Kasugaya Castiella.” 

Returning the cocktail glass to the table, Kako slowly sat up. Shizuri couldn’t help noticing how the way Kako moved exaggerated her bountiful cleavage. 

“However, according to the report, the incident occurred rather late at night. Just what were you and Kojou Akatsuki doing together?” 

“Huh…?” 

The weight of the implication behind Shizuri’s assigned instructor’s question made her blink her eyes. Kako leered, a malicious smile coming over her as she gazed at Shizuri with deep interest. 

“The vicinity of the school building where the incident took place was a dark, quiet place away from prying eyes.” 

Once she understood the question behind the question, Shizuri blurted a “Wha—?” After a moment, she continued. “I…I merely accompanied Kojou Akatsuki as his watcher. There was absolutely no indecent—” 

“No, no, I admire your dedication to your mission. It is not as if I suspected that there was some kind of…improper behavior between the two of you.” 

“Of course there wasn’t!!” Shizuri’s face turned bright red. Because she was raised in a girls-only environment as a paladin, Shizuri’s resistance to this kind of humor was particularly lacking. 

Kako, seeing just how nervously Shizuri was flailing about, made a pleasant sound in her throat as she smiled. “Very well. To you, so faithful in her mission, I am assigning homework.” 

“Homework…you say?” 

With Kako finally speaking in an instructor-like manner, Shizuri looked back at her with suspicion. 

“Your make-up test for the combat exercise the other day is yet to be completed. This is a substitute.” 

Kako sounded entirely sensible. The other day no doubt referred to the mock battle in which Kojou had died. Thanks to Shizuri thoughtlessly employing the secret armament Hauras against regulations, the result had not been recognized as counting toward their coursework. 

Shizuri’s anxiety spiked. “Yes. However, what do you mean by home—?” 

Kako lazily rested her cheek against her hand, smiling amiably as she spoke. “Exploring the Carceri .” 

“Eh?!” 

Shizuri’s eyes bulged. 

“Please, wait. Our squad is not ready for the Carceri .” 

“How modest of you. Yuno Amase’s capabilities as a scout are A-rank. In close combat, her might is ranked fourth in the entire school. Rui Miyazumi has inherited Jukou Miyazumi’s place as the school’s foremost prodigy. Including his time in middle school, he is already a veteran with over twelve explorations of the Carceri under his belt.” 

Kako counted the reasons on her fingers as she went. 

“With a paladin bearing a secret armament added to the mix, one can only think of the squad’s might as among the top five of our entire school.” 

“O-our squad has Kojou Akatsuki in it. As an Attack Mage, he is still no better than an amateur!” 

“Heh. Concerned about the vampire you are assigned to observe, are you?” 

“E-even if he is no more than my observation target, he is currently a member of my squad!” 

Kako’s teasing question drew an instant rebuttal from Shizuri, despite how awkward it might have been. 

“Ah, such team spirit,” said Kako in an exaggerated show of praise. “You need not be concerned. He won’t die.” 

“Because he is the Fourth Primogenitor?” 

“Well, yes. There is that, too.” 

Kako’s reply was vague. Shizuri, too, was now acutely aware of the abnormal regenerative ability that made people speak of immortal vampire primogenitors as immutable. Even crushed by a doll and reduced to tattered pieces of flesh, Kojou had demonstrated he would easily recover within a single day. Of course, normal humans could do no such thing, but the feat was beyond even Old Guard vampires. The terrifying sight truly deserved to be called a curse by the gods themselves. 

“He is the World’s Mightiest Vampire. By rights, he would be able to take the top spot from anyone at this school,” Kako said with a grin. “Although, at present, Kojou Akatsuki has no memory of his past. He cannot even properly draw upon the least of his abilities as a vampire.” 

“That is all the more reason to change the scenery, then. Do you not think giving him fresh stimulus is necessary? Solely to help him regain his memory, of course.” 

“You might be right about that…” 

Unable to find any basis to refute the words, Shizuri’s voice lost its vigor. 

It had already been half a year since Shizuri had encountered Kojou Akatsuki on the shores of Onrai Island. She still knew little about him. Kojou Akatsuki lacked even knowledge about ritual spells and demons; infuriatingly, he did not even understand how he had become a vampire primogenitor. 

Even if she continued to observe him, would Kojou’s memories ever come back? It was not just once or twice that Shizuri herself had felt such doubts. 

Kako nodded coolly and lowered her voice. “Now that I think about it, given his true nature, this is an exceptionally good opportunity. If that Kojou Akatsuki is the true Fourth Primogenitor, invading the Carceri might well bring his true self to the fore. If, as a result, you judge that his existence is a menace to the world—” 

“In that moment, I shall strike him down.” Shizuri did not hesitate. 

Kako narrowed her eyes, amused. “Yes, that is your mission, isn’t it? However, can you really do that?” 

“A foolish question. I am the paladin to whom Gisella has granted Hauras.” Shizuri touched the hilt of her sword with her hand. 

Hauras, which increased its might by consuming the demonic energy of whatever opponent it struck, was likely the sole weapon able to destroy a vampire primogenitor. Having inherited this weapon, Shizuri had a duty to use it to slaughter dangerous demons…even if the opponent was one of her squadmates. 

“Good answer.” Kako let out her breath with what seemed like a smile. “I will be in touch with details of the homework assignment. Ensure you finish preparations to enter the Carceri before the day is out.” 

“Understood.” 

Politely, with a sober look on her face, Shizuri did an about-face and walked off. 

Waiting for her student’s figure to disappear, Kako lifted a palm into the air. What hovered before her eyes was a translucent screen. Displayed on this screen were multiple photos from the report Shizuri had written. They were photos of the destroyed school building and the Debris giving off a mysterious light. And there was a photo of a girl wearing a uniform to which she was not accustomed. 

“Snowdrift Wolf… So, the wielder of that accursed spear has revealed herself… Sooner than I thought, too…” 

The sight of the indistinct, almost illusory girl made Kako curl up only the corners of her mouth. For but a single moment, a peculiar expression came over her, a mixture of palpable anger and scorn. 

“Proceed with your futile struggling all you like. Just don’t get in the way of my work.” 

A hateful chuckle trickled out over the beach, which was illuminated by dazzling sun rays. 

Finally, with a violent gesture akin to crushing something in her hand, Kako dismissed the screen she had summoned. 

2 

“Common ritual tablets, Instant Wisps, flash rounds, grenades, plastic explosives, detonators…” 

Inside a dimly lit building resembling a warehouse, Shizuri’s voice echoed as she read from a list. 

It was an oddly constructed store reminiscent of an arms dealer or a mafia armory. It had narrow, dimly lit corridors on both sides, with a single wall converted into an enormous shelf and merchandise stacked up nearly as high as the ceiling. 

The merchandise on display ranged from ominous-looking weapon ammunition, to special catalysts used for ritual spells, to even daily necessities, clothing, and food. Attack Mage High’s Post Exchange came furnished with everything required for day-to-day life. 

“Knife, rope, carabiners, pegs, map, compass, emergency kits, communicators.” 

“………” 

Kojou did as Shizuri ordered and tossed the supplies into the cart one by one. Their initial cart was already full, and even the second was being packed to the brim. 

The pair had visited the PX with the goal of provisioning supplies for the Carceri exercise waiting for them the next day. Customarily, exploration of the enormous Carceri interior was conducted over the course of several days, which necessitated a considerable quantity of supplies. Not only were spare weapons in case of prolonged combat necessary, but food, drinking water, and equipment for camping in the field were as well. All that said, increasing the amount of supplies without a plan would lower your mobility from the sheer weight of it all. Exhausting your strength from what you were carrying was foolish beyond words. The gear one took to a Carceri exercise needed to be a precisely calculated balance between quantity and quality. 

Even so, Shizuri’s hand did not stop flipping through the list. 

“Field rations, drinking water, handkerchiefs, toilet paper, facecloths, towels.” 

“………” 

“Tea biscuits, bananas, throat lozenges, kettle, cups, teapot…” 

“Daaaaaaaah—!!” 

Interrupting his search for supplies, Kojou raised a loud voice. Kojou’s bizarre action, made without a single shred of warning, made Shizuri’s eyes go round in shock. 

“Wh-what is this all of a sudden?!” 

“This is way too much, dammit! I’m supposed to carry all this by myself?!” 

Kojou wailed as he pointed at the cart brimming with merchandise. Shizuri nodded like the answer was obvious. 

“That is the plan, yes. Yuno and I are on the front line, so we can hardly fight while carrying supplies. Miyazumi will no doubt have his hands full with his own gear. Having you, someone utterly useless from a combat perspective, carry everyone’s supplies is a natural and logical conclusion.” 

“I ain’t complainin’ about being assigned to carry the luggage! But there’s still a limit, dammit! This is over sixty kilograms altogether, right? Any more and it’ll be heavier than you are!” 

“A-any more or not, my body weight is less than sixty kilograms!” 

“With your clothes and sword and stuff on, it probably goes way over that!” 

“N-no, it does not!” 

Kojou shook his head in irritation. He didn’t understand why she was so annoyed with him. 

“Well, something like that isn’t really important. I’m telling you to lighten the load!” 

“‘S-something like that’?! Not important…?!” 

“I mean, why the individual list entries for tea biscuits and bananas and throat lozenges anyway?! And why do you need teapots and cups?!” 

“Do you not know? They are tools required for the pouring of tea.” Shizuri touched a hand to her cheek, scornfully looking down on Kojou. 

“I wasn’t askin’ about that,” he grumbled to himself. “Why do we need to carry stuff like that into a Carceri ?! Make do with water!” 

“That is inconceivable. Even during operational maneuvers, one must treasure the time one has to take a break.” 

“The hell?! You some kind of aristocrat?!” Kojou drew in a sharp breath, ready to lodge further complaints at his unyielding team leader. However… 

“Get down!” 

…with a violent shove from Shizuri, Kojou tumbled onto the hard floor. 

“Wh-what the?!” 

“Shh! Be silent!” 

When Kojou tried to sit up, Shizuri forced his head back down. She was looking outside the window of the PX—toward the meal space right outside. Kojou didn’t immediately recognize the pair of students, who were sitting on an unobtrusive bench hiding in the shadow of a tree. There was a boy and a girl, both small in stature. 

“That’s…Amase and Miyazumi?” 

“…So it would seem.” 

Having confirmed that the two were their fellow squad members, Kojou and Shizuri turned to each other. 

One was a chestnut-haired girl with an amiable face; the other was a boy with the refined looks of an honors student. They were definitely Yuno and Rui. The two were sitting shoulder to shoulder, casually enjoying cones of soft-serve. 

Of course, there was no problem at all with how the two were acting. Since it was the day before the Carceri exercise, the Kasugaya Squad was exempted from classes. If their preparations for the exercise were complete, they were free to do as they wished thereafter…providing it did not offend public order and morals, of course. 

“…?!” 

Rui wiped away some ice cream on Yuno’s face with the tip of his own finger. Yuno put her mouth to it and licked, finger and all. Witnessing the episode to its end, Shizuri drew in her breath, shoulders trembling in shock. 

“Th-the ice cream… He had cream on his finger and…she l-licked it…” 

“Huh… So that’s the kind of relationship they have…” 

Naturally, even Kojou, one of the least perceptive people when it came to matters of the heart, knew from watching this that they were more than good friends. And in Rui’s case, the flirting was heavily at odds with his normally cool words and actions. Though in one sense, perhaps that very coolness accounted for how he could be so bold as to flirt right outside the store— 

“…Er?! Wait, Cas! What do you think you’re doing?!” 

Suddenly realizing that Shizuri had roughly risen to her feet, Kojou grabbed hold of her wrists. 

Shizuri brusquely shook off his hands. 

“I am putting a halt to improper fraternization with the opposite sex!” 

“Hey, stop that, you idiot! That’s gonna be way too awkward for everyone involved!” 

Sensing danger to the entire squad’s continuance, Kojou grabbed hold of Shizuri’s clothing. 

“And what do you intend to do if Yuno gets pregnant?! As squad leader, I cannot let this pass!” 

“Are you dumb?! You can’t get pregnant from licking a finger, dammit! Wait. Don’t tell me that at your age, you actually think you can get pregnant from stuff like…” 

“I am well aware of how sexual intercourse is conducted!” 

With all the blood rushing to her head, Shizuri shouted without restraint before prying eyes. Her angry voice echoed through the corridors, causing every student and staffer in the PX to turn toward her, wondering what was up. 

Noticing others’ gazes upon them, Shizuri gasped and froze as she came to her senses. Kojou, holding on to Shizuri tightly, swiftly let go with his hands. 

Somehow they managed to smooth things over, but when Kojou looked around the area, his eyes abruptly came to a halt on the action figure box right before them. It was a posable figure of some kind of anime character. 

“Y-yeah, this is really elaborate. Action figures these days, they’re precise down to the fine details.” 

“E-exactly! These joints are made very accurately! Masterfully precise!” 

Raising the action figure box high, Kojou and Shizuri sang its praises with voices that were loud on purpose. “Oh, so that’s what it was,” the customers at the PX told themselves, apparently losing interest in the pair. 

Waiting for the atmosphere in the PX to calm, Kojou returned the action figure box to the shelves. Naturally, even Shizuri had regained her composure thanks to the uproar just then. 

“…What, are you jealous of them or something?” Kojou probed in a timid tone. 

Shizuri, slumped down in a crouch, looked mildly beside herself as she raised her eyebrows. 

“Absolutely not. It is just, I am shocked that neither of them spoke even a word to me about it,” she said with a frail sigh. 

Kojou smiled sheepishly and shook his head. “Well, of course they didn’t. You’re no help at all when it comes to romance.” 

“Wh-why not?!” she shouted, aghast. 

His appraisal that she, a paladin, was not someone worth speaking to rocked her sense of self to its foundations. 

“Er, nothing fancy, it just seems like you have no experience in that area at all.” 

“Wha—?!” 

“Well, even if you did, I bet it had to be at the level of an elementary schooler at best.” 

His blunt words stunned her, forcing her to stumble for an appropriate rebuttal. Even as Shizuri’s cheeks twitched in humiliation, she apparently could not deny his assessment. 

“A-and what about you?! Do you have any experience falling in love with someone?!” she yelled in anger, even if it was misplaced. 

“Hmm… Do I?” Kojou was at a loss. 

For but a single moment, the facial features of a familiar girl returned to the back of his mind like a flash. The illusion immediately dissipated, vanishing into the darkness of his memory once more. All that remained afterward was a faint aching in his chest. 

“…Kojou?” 

When he heard Shizuri’s voice in his ear, Kojou’s pupils regained their focus. When Kojou’s silence continued, Shizuri looked up at him with apparent concern. 

“Nah, no good. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I still can’t remember a thing.” Kojou smiled and shook his head. 

He sounded nonchalant about the matter, but Shizuri’s expression of concern remained unchanged. As if regretting her own words, she strongly bit down on her own lip. 

“I am sorry… It was a terrible thing to say to someone who has lost his memories.” 

“Not something you need to worry about, Cas. But, you know, thanks.” 

Speaking this, Kojou raised an arm, lightly placing his hand on Shizuri’s drooping head. It was a casual gesture, meant to console a dispirited girl. But in that instant, Shizuri twitched, then her entire body froze over. 

“…Cas?” 

“I-it’s nothing!” 

Shizuri held her wimple down with a hand as she backed away. Her voice shook as she spoke. Then, with a pale face and a tense smile, she shoved the shopping list against Kojou’s chest. 

“I will leave the remainder to you. I have an urgent errand to run, so—” 

“Uh, hey…!” 

They already had two carts full of supplies with a long, long shopping list left to go. It was a quantity well beyond the capacity of one person to transport. 

“What am I gonna do with all this stuff?” 

Kojou clicked his tongue and grumbled a “geez” as he helplessly gazed up at the sky. 

3 

“That is everything about the Carceri . All that we know about it, at least.” 

Frivolously dressed in nothing more than a white gown over a swimsuit, Kako Magatoki was sitting cross-legged on a large boulder. Sitting across her knees was an old-fashioned, foldable tablet computer. 

The tablet’s screen displayed a 3D image of a cave. 

The cave’s diameter averaged about eight to nine meters. It was an enormous cavity that Kojou thought was more appropriate to call a natural underground cavern complex. The cave’s interior branched off in a complicated manner, with a total length said to run in excess of a hundred kilometers. In one sense, it was no exaggeration to call this huge cave the backbone of Onrai Island. 

That day’s homework was for Kojou and the other members of the Kasugaya Squad to explore that enormous cave. 

“Pretty different from what I imagined…,” Kojou said after taking a peek at the image. Because everything related to the Carceri was treated as top secret even within the College, this was actually the first time Kojou was seeing this for himself. 

“I imagine so. It is a mixture of the largest cave system in the Far East, a tropical rain forest, and artificial underground structures. Quite a pretty sight, is it not?” 

Turning her head to look at the cave entrance behind them, Kako raised one eyebrow with a look of pride. 

There was only one entrance to the huge cave standing in the bowels of the volcanic mountain range at the center of Onrai Island. The enormous rift in the rock face, so imposing that it might well have been called the Gateway to Hell, certainly was a grand sight. 

“I bet tourists would pay good money to see this,” Yuno chimed in as she readjusted the ties on her gloves. 

That day, she was wearing a combat outfit that exposed places all over her body like some kind of female ninja. Apparently, the minimal fabric coverage gave her increased freedom of movement for when she was bestialized. 

“That’s asking a bit much, though,” Rui said with a shake of his head and a pained smile. He was carrying a sniper rifle on his back. 

In contrast to Yuno’s light gear, his was comparatively heavy. For close combat, he had an assault carbine and a pair of large-caliber pistols. All were loaded not with dummy rounds for training but with enhanced rounds for anti-demon combat. His futuristic, form-fitting combat suit was apparently a cutting-edge prototype, with ritual spell camouflage printed over it. 

For his part, Kojou’s outfit was the same regulation school uniform and old-style military parka he always wore. The overwhelming disparity, enough to make people think he wasn’t even in the same squad, sat somewhat poorly with Kojou. 

“You mean, because this is a Demon Sanctuary?” 

“In the sense of protecting secrets? Of course, there is that, too…” 

Kojou found Rui’s reply quite vague. It was Kako, holding her tablet, who continued the explanation in his place. 

“An enormous source of demonic energy of an unknown nature rests at the deepest part of the Carceri , you see. The demonic energy brimming inside it leaks out from that source. As a result, the ecology inside the Carceri has changed abnormally, to the point that our notions of common sense are largely inapplicable. It is without question a dangerous area.” 

“Is it fine sending students into a place like that?” 

“Yes, because the students at our College can break through without any problems, you see. Is that not correct, Kasugaya?” 

“Y-yes. Of course it is.” 

When Kako suddenly called upon Shizuri, the latter nervously replied. Ever since the incident at the PX the day prior, she often seemed in some kind of daze. It wasn’t that he wasn’t paying attention, but Kojou didn’t exactly have time to worry about her. 

“I straight-up died in one of those College exercises, though…” 

“Certainly, there are many unknown portions within the Carceri . It is a fact no one can call it absolutely safe. I strongly urge you to refrain from any rash actions.” 

Kako had no care for his concern. She looked him square in the eyes and tightened her expression for once. 

“For our convenience, we have divided the Carceri into seven strata. The seventh stratum is the deepest part. None have arrived at that stratum and returned alive. Presently, at least.” 

“…Gotcha.” 

Kojou nodded a bit as he looked at where Kako was pointing to on her map. The underground cavern deepened by stages, and the lowest stratum’s portions were largely blank. It was unknown territory even to the instructors of the College. 

“The sixth stratum is a nest for Debris. Take that as meaning you will encounter Debris at an exceptionally high frequency. The density of demonic energy is far higher than anywhere prior, and even keeping one’s mind intact while approaching it grows difficult. For that reason, the fifth stratum is effectively the limit of what can be reached by humanity.” 

“What’s on the fifth stratum?” 

Shizuri and the others had already explored the Carceri numerous times in the past. Naturally, they already possessed some knowledge about the labyrinth. In other words, Kako’s explanation was directed at Kojou alone. 

“That stratum contains a bulwark to seal the Debris away. A barrier is spread over it to prevent them from invading, much like a castle wall. Near sixty percent or so of the Demon Sanctuary’s budgetary expenditures must go to maintaining this barrier. In other words, that is just how critical this facility is to us.” 

Kako voiced what struck him as a frightening truth. Maintaining the barrier in the Carceri interior was chewing up over half of the Demon Sanctuary’s budget. Put another way, no measure short of deploying such a powerful barrier could hold the Debris at bay. 

“Of course, such a powerful barrier cannot fail to affect the human body. In particular, it would be fatal to a Demon such as you. I recommend that you do not accidentally approach it.” 

“Thanks for the warning. I’ll take it to heart,” he said sarcastically. 

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Kako replied with a satisfied smile. “Thanks to that barrier, everything from the fourth stratum to the surface is a relatively safe area. There are corporate research facilities as well as permanently stationed researchers. This is an ideal environment for sorcerous engineering researchers, you see.” 

“…Research facilities? You’ve got stuff like that inside the labyrinth?” 

“Well, it’s dotted with small observation posts no larger than a weather station. Part of our job is to guard them.” 

That surprised Kojou, as did her addition, “Most of the posts are unmanned, so they also function as refuges for the students,” spoken like an afterthought. 

“The differences in the first stratum through the fourth are largely the lay of the land, and the rate of Debris appearing. It is best if you appreciate the distinctions between them with your own two eyes.” 

“That means Debris can pop up from the fourth floor on up, too?” 

“The barrier of the fifth stratum is something like a fishnet, you see. It cannot completely prevent small Debris from leaking out. Making the eyes of the net smaller would add an even greater burden to the barrier.” 

“Meaning, our homework is to hunt the small Debris that break through that barrier,” Shizuri concluded. She gently touched the scabbard of her sword. Though he felt like she was psyching herself up a bit in doing so, the proud demeanor was very like the overly serious Shizuri. 

“Sheesh, who pushes dangerous work like that onto students…?” Kojou grumbled. 

“It is a precious opportunity for students of Attack Mage High to gain combat experience, and for the Demon Sanctuary, a precious way to reduce expenses. You use the tools you have on hand, yes?” Kako remained calm as she fished around in the pocket of her white gown. Finally, she took out an electronic device that neatly fit into her palm. 

It was in the shape of a rectangle but with rounded corners, making Kojou think of a large eraser. There was a strap attached to the head of its yellow, plastic body for hanging from one’s neck. 

“What’s that?” 

“A support item for use in the Carceri .” 

“It kinda…looks like a panic buzzer for an elementary schooler.” 

Gazing at the yellow-colored electronic device he’d accepted, Kojou mumbled to himself, feeling let down. Somehow, the design made it feel humiliating to walk around carrying the thing as a student and Attack Mage candidate. 

However, Kako said, “Is that so,” acting offended as she shook her head. 

“If a time should come when you feel imperiled within the Carceri , give this strap a strong pull. Rescue personnel will hear the alarm and come running to the scene immediately.” 

“Wait, so it really is a panic buzzer?!” 

He wailed internally, despondent that the device’s function was exactly what it looked like. By walking around with that yellow panic buzzer dangling from his neck, he would feel the acute embarrassment of being marked as a rank amateur. 

A malicious, leering smile came over Kako. 

“In the Carceri , with the high density of demonic energy, there is a danger of complex magical devices malfunctioning. If anything, it is the very simplicity of a tool like this that makes it reliable.” 

“That might be true…but why only give one to me? What about Cas and the others?” 

“That would be unnecessary. All the squad members besides you are at least able to defend themselves,” Shizuri said coldly. 

Kojou clenched his teeth. He got the sense that Shizuri also somehow felt the embarrassment from the panic buzzer intended for beginners. 

“If you’re handing me this, does that mean you’re not coming with us, Instructor Magatoki?” 

“I would prefer that you address me as Kako.” As if evading Kojou’s question, Kako spoke in a tone he could not clearly peg as joking or serious. “Being under an instructor’s command damages a student’s self-learning, you see. Thus, we train our students by having them do Carceri exercises alone. Are you scared?” 

“Nah… I wouldn’t really call it scared, but…” 

The problem is, I don’t even understand how dangerous the Carceri is in the first place. 

That said, even if Kako, dressed frivolously in a swimsuit, white gown, and sandals, was to go with them, Kojou felt like it would only add to their tribulations. 

“There is no need for concern, Kojou. So long as our preparations are thorough, there is no chance mere Debris will get the better of the Kasugaya Squad.” Shizuri puffed out her chest, perhaps intending this as some measure of consideration for him. 

“That is simply the situation. It’s all right. My support will even the field, Akatsuki,” Rui said gently, in agreement with Shizuri’s baseless assertion. He offered Kojou his right hand. 

Finding Rui’s gesture unexpectedly reassuring, Kojou shook his hand. 

Yuno added both of her hands on top of theirs. “That means we’re all combining our strengths. We’re counting on you as our porter, Kojikoji.” 

She sounded utterly serious about that, and Kojou’s smiling face froze. He was reminded that he would soon have to enter the Carceri carrying the heavy baggage of four people. 

“It’s a huge help,” said Rui in a rather self-interested tone. Yuno gazed at Kojou’s sour look with a smile. 

Shizuri, the only one on the team left out, stood still with her right hand half-outstretched, with nowhere left to go. 

4 

The interior of the underground cavern was not flat; rather, the terrain was warped, as if magma had cooled and hardened that way. The oddly slippery ground surface combined with humid air meant that a moment’s inattention would lead to the immediate slipping of one’s foot. 

Adding to such concerns, the areas of tapered rocks and nearly sheer cliffs all grated on Kojou’s nerves. Though not even thirty minutes had passed since entering the cave, Kojou had promptly broken into a sweat all over. 

Shizuri, walking at the head of the party, called out to the halted Kojou. “You are so slow! Just how long do you intend keep us waiting?!” 

What illuminated her and the others in that darkness were pale fireballs that hovered and swayed in midair. They were apparently a type of shikigami known as Instant Wisps. With ritual energy consumption reduced to a bare minimum, they excelled at being able to freely adjust the lighting level over a prolonged period of time. 

With the wisps accompanying them, Shizuri and the others looked less like Attack Mage candidates out on an exercise and more like characters in an online role-playing game. 

“Can’t be helped, geez! If you’re not happy with it, help carry a little more of the load!” Carrying a giant rucksack on his back, Kojou retorted between labored breaths. 

The reason he was relying not on wisps but on the ordinary flashlight in his hand was that he could not use even beginner-level ritual spells. Thanks to that, Kojou could not shake the impression that he was the only one out of place. 

“How can you treat me with such disrespect after I reduced the baggage?” 

When Kojou finally caught up, Shizuri stared at him with an exasperated expression, huffing in annoyance. 

“There was too much to begin with! On top of that, it’s all your personal stuff! Health products, weight-training gear, the tea set…” 

“The tea set is necessary!” 

“It’s the least necessary!” 

As Kojou was venting his dissatisfaction, his eyes came to rest on creepy pillars standing tall before his eyes. They were a pair of crystal pillars reminiscent of the archways at a Shinto temple. Even Kojou, deficient in knowledge of spellcraft, could grasp that powerful ritual energy emanated from them. They were likely one component of the barrier that sealed the Debris away. 

“So ahead of here…is the real Carceri , huh…?” 

“We are still at the entrance to the first stratum. Take care not to touch the barrier gate, would you?” Shizuri said, mace at the ready. 

Without a word, Rui released the safeties of his guns. Yuno pulled down the hood of her coat, exposing the animal ears they had kept hidden. Each was on guard, ready to enter combat at any moment. On the surface, they were behaving the same as usual; Kojou knew they felt tense. 

That instant, Kojou was assaulted by a strange sensation. Somehow, he felt like he’d seen their expressions before. 

“Kojou?” Shizuri asked, glancing at his frowning face. 

“Oh, uh… It’s nothing.” 

Kojou hastily shook his head, going after Yuno and Rui, who had already begun walking ahead. 

After walking for a little while past the crystal pillars, the appearance of the Carceri completely changed. 

The ceiling remained at the same level as before, but the depth of the cave increased as precipitously as a sheer cliff. The horizontal breadth of the cave, broad to begin with, grew broader still. Rifts that seemed to go down like a giant stairway were a breathtaking sight. To Kojou, they evoked a great chasm. The light of the wisps was no longer sufficient to see the opposite side. 

Here and there amid that underground chasm, lights flickered to and fro. They were wisps just like the ones Shizuri and the others were using. Apparently, there were students other than Kojou’s squad heading down into the Carceri . 

From what Kojou’s vision could see, there were six, maybe seven sets of wisps hovering within the chasm. Apparently, far more people were prowling inside the Carceri than he’d expected. 

“Those lights… Are all those parties from Attack Mage High…?” 

“Oh yes. Grading assessments are beginning anytime now, you see.” 

“Assessments?” 

“One of the requirements necessary for graduation is the number of Debris you destroy,” Rui explained. “Even if it is dangerous, you cannot get credits for that without going down into the Carceri .” 

“Got it,” said Kojou grudgingly. 

Most of the classes at the College were self-study; no unified curriculum existed. With the races and abilities of the students all over the map, that only made sense. 

In the end, the mock combat on school grounds was viewed as part of training only and not directly tied to student appraisal. If that wasn’t the case, Kojou would have long been booted out of school for insufficient grades. 

However, the school did have one place to make those appraisals—thanks to the existence of the Carceri . 

“Seems like a pretty harsh system to me.” 

“Well, you might be right about that.” Rui’s agreement came easily even though it was clearly criticism of the school. 

“But if one sends Attack Mages lacking actual combat experience on missions, all that awaits them is tragedy. If one cannot overcome this, it’s better to not strive to be an Attack Mage to begin with.” 

“I guess so…” 

As Kojou climbed down a cliff with poor footing, his unpleasant mood caused him to fall silent. 

Attack Mage was a catch-all term for someone with special skills and abilities for dealing with sorcerous criminals. From time to time, that surely meant direct combat with dangerous demons and magicians. Naturally, it was not grades on appropriate written tests but exploits in actual combat by which they should be judged—he grasped the logic of it quite well. 

Even so, it didn’t sit well with Kojou for some reason. 

Kojou wasn’t attending the College for the sake of fighting anyone. He’d been told that if he didn’t get his Attack Mage certification, he could never leave the Demon Sanctuary, so he aimed to be an Attack Mage for lack of any other choice—that was all. 

The same probably went for Yuno, a beast person, and Rui, aiming to become a researcher. 

This being the case, the true nature of the problem might not be Attack Mage High’s assessment process but the twisted system of the Demon Sanctuary that isolated demons from human society. 

“Stop the excessive private conversation and concentrate. You are entirely too relaxed about this.” 

Glaring at Kojou as he indulged in absentminded reverie, Shizuri spoke with a bitter tone. “Geez, sorry,” said Kojou, raising both hands. Certainly, this was not the time to think about the problems with Demon Sanctuaries. 

“But Debris don’t pop out much on the first stratum, right?” 

“That only means the encounter rate is low!” 

Even before she finished speaking, Shizuri raised her beloved mace aloft. Then, with Kojou standing right before her eyes, she thrust it toward him full-force. 

“Huh?!” 

As Kojou stood rigid, what the flange of the mace crushed was on the rock face behind him—a creepy silhouette crawling out from a gap. It was a mass of something viscous, kind of like a large lizard, giving off a disgustingly moist sound as it was sent flying. 

As if that were a signal, similar silhouettes emerged from the rocky places to and fro. 

Each was around the size of a small dog. They were bizarre magical creatures that seemed like a cross between amoeba and beast. They numbered in the dozens. They continued to gather from all around the area, almost as if they were attracted by Kojou’s scent. 

“The hell’s with these things?!” 

Kojou felt a chill run up his spine as he staggered backward. The magic creatures followed suit, their entire bodies bouncing and quivering. It wasn’t enough to make him feel fear, but they definitely creeped him out. 

“A type of undead. The Onrai Island term is Larva .” 

Rui spoke thus as he let out a string of shots from his pistol. Eating large-caliber pistol rounds, the magical creatures burst apart. Apparently, the magical creatures really didn’t represent much of an individual threat. However, their numbers were simply overwhelming. 

“…Larva?” 

“Most of them are corpses of flora and fauna that turn into monsters when exposed to demonic energy inside the Carceri . In other words, they are natural-born zombies. The saving grace is, to date, few students have died within the Carceri , so it is rather rare to encounter a human-form Larva.” 

“So… You mean it has happened…?” 

What a disgusting “natural” thing , Kojou thought with an earnest grimace. The mere fact that these were rotting, walking animal corpses was plenty reason to consider them creepy as hell. He wasn’t confident he could retain his composure if a human-sized Larva really did appear before his eyes. 

“Kojikoji, even if you’re immortal, there’s no telling what’ll happen if you die in here, so you’d better not do anything reckless like last time, ’kay?” 

Yuno hid behind Kojou’s back as she stated that with an air of concern. To her, someone who chiefly fought directly using hand and foot, Larvae were no doubt something to touch as little as possible. 

“Got it. Yeah, that thought gives even me chills.” 

Kojou simply nodded. Even as he was, Kojou bore the nonsensical title of World’s Mightiest Vampire. Becoming a zombie on top of that would be too pathetic for words. Of course, Kojou wouldn’t die even if he wanted to, but still— 

“So how are we going to exorcise them anyway? If they’re monsterized corpses, doesn’t that mean they’ll keep regenerating forever even if you squish ’em…?” 

“We call them Larvae because the corpses have not been brought back to life. Having died once, their bodies are merely ‘objects.’ They move mechanically based on their memories from before they died… That is all.” 

“Meaning, they look like they have will, but they’re really the same as the dolls?” 

Even if they were referred to like haunting spirits, they weren’t attacking Kojou and company because of resentments toward the world of the living—that’s how Kojou took Shizuri’s explanation, which provided him some sense of relief. 

Shizuri hoisted her slime-marred mace once more. “Correct. Accordingly, if one pulverizes them past maintaining their shape, they can recover no more.” 

“Pulverize—Wait, you’re gonna smash this many of them?” 

Looking past Shizuri’s shoulder to survey the area, Kojou’s expression stiffened. Before he knew it, the number of wriggling Larvae around them had exceeded fifty. If that number of monsters attacked all at once, even Shizuri wouldn’t be able to cope, or so he thought. 

“Larvae have a tentative territorial range, so it truly is rare for them to appear in such numbers, I must say,” Rui explained as he swapped pistol magazines. He shrugged with a consternated expression. 

“So what gives?” Kojou asked, perplexed. 

Yuno grinned. “This is just a guess, but it looks like they gathered ’cause they’re drawn to your demonic energy, Kojikoji. Larvae eat the demonic energy gushing up inside the Carceri , so they tend to be drawn to the densest demonic energy on hand.” 

“Wait a sec, you’re saying this is my fault?!” Kojou exclaimed, mouth agape. 

Shizuri and Rui averted their eyes in a nonchalant manner. From their demeanor, Kojou instinctively knew that Yuno was right. 

Apparently, the cause of suddenly falling into a crisis in the “comparatively safe” first stratum of the Carceri was that Kojou’s Fourth Primogenitor demonic energy was leaking out of his body all on its own. 

It made for an absurd story, but the situation could not be dismissed with a laugh. If Kojou’s demonic energy was what the Larvae were after, the Larvae would probably pursue them no matter how far they ran. 

It was difficult for Rui to dispatch the Larvae lurking in the shadows of the rock face by pistol. That didn’t mean they could use explosives on a cliff like that, either. 

The idea of using himself as a decoy and drawing the Larvae off did come to mind, but Kojou immediately brushed the thought away. Just imagining having those viscous lumps following him all over the place made a bad chill run through him. Besides, Yuno had drilled into him not long ago not to do anything reckless. 

However, that didn’t mean he could come up with any other plan for busting out of that situation. 

What to do…? thought Kojou, gripping the shoulder belts of his heavy rucksack. 

Suddenly, he heard great laughter that was very much out of place. 

“Ha-ha-ha! I wondered what group might be in such spectacular straits, and here I find Miss Castiella. How fortuitous to meet in such a place!” 

Looking down at Kojou and company from the top of the cliff was a large man clad in sparkling silver armor. 

He was not large in the sense of being especially tall; he was actually shorter than Kojou. The broadness of his shoulders and the thickness of his chest, plus the mass of his musculature that seemed like armor clasped over his entire body, was what made the man look big. 

An audacious smile came over his thick lips as the man fondly narrowed his eyes. 

“President Okurayama…!” 

With an air of weariness, Shizuri invoked the armored man’s name. A faint echo of relief was mixed into her voice. 

“Who?” Kojou murmured with a perplexed expression. 

He hadn’t thought anyone would be nosy enough to go out of their way and poke their nose into a large Larva horde. 

“Shidou Okurayama, the student body president. He’s in his fourth year, but he’s one of the most capable people in the school, so he works as an acting instructor, too.” 

Having reflexively turned his gun barrel toward the armored man, Rui lowered both his guard and his pistol. 

“Wait, he’s still a student…?” 

Kojou was shocked at the other meaning of Rui’s words. Judging from the man’s appearance, tone of voice, and the exceptional presence behind them, Kojou had imagined that the man in the armor was thirty years old. Being told the guy was eighteen or nineteen with that body made Kojou feel like he was being taken for a ride. 

“What fate it is to meet you in a place like this. It violates the principle of self-study, but I shall lend you a hand!” He let out a mighty howl and drew the sword at his back. “No need for restraint!” 

His weapon was a two-handed great sword about as long as he was tall. The blade was broad and thick, looking more like a sledgehammer than a sword. 

Okurayama swung the insanely heavy sword with ease, smashing it into a Larva right below his eyes, bluntly mowing a Larva down along with the surrounding rock in which it had lurked. It was such an absurd sight that Kojou was no longer certain who the real monster was. 

Behind him, a single female student followed suit. She was probably Okurayama’s teammate. She had long, black hair and teary eyes. The girl was beautiful and had a gentle air about her. 

She was wearing a College schoolgirl uniform, but thanks to her being too stylish for it, the effect felt oddly sensual. The collar of her blouse was only open down to the second button, but even so, ample cleavage was visible. 

“Nozomiiii!” 

Happily waving with both hands, Yuno called out the girl’s name. The black-haired schoolgirl smiled, making a little wave of her right hand. The sight caught Kojou’s eyes. 

“The babe is Nozomi Kamikiba. Last year’s Miss College of Magical Arts. Also a D-type.” 

Turning her head toward Kojou, Yuno glanced up at him with a teasing smile. Interested, aren’t you? her way of speaking implied. Kojou couldn’t deny it. 

“D-type…!” he exclaimed, forgetting all about hiding his shock. D-type meant a descendant of the First Primogenitor, the Lost Warlord—the sort of vampire knowledge common to all. In other words, she was one of Kojou’s few kin. 

He’d heard there were vampires besides him at the College, but obviously he’d never expected to run into one in a place like this. Of course, that she was immensely beautiful was also unexpected. 

“So the boy over there is the rumored Fourth Primogenitor?” Okurayama calmly said as he mopped the floor with the Larvae. 

“Hey, I’m Kojou Akatsuki.” 

Even while overwhelmed by Okurayama’s sheer force, Kojou did not yield, introducing himself with a loud voice. Even if he’d lost his memories of the past, he apparently hadn’t lost the sportsman’s ethos his body had been immersed in. 

“Hmm. A pleasure. Seems like you’re a dependable one!” 

Nodding in satisfaction, Okurayama kept his sword poised as he turned to face Shizuri. 

“Incidentally, Miss Castiella. I take it that your destination is OS Base on the first stratum as well?” 

“ Certamente , that is the plan.” 

Shizuri nodded as she assisted Okurayama. OS Base apparently meant one of the observation posts placed inside the Carceri . It seemed that, barring special circumstance, it was customary for Attack Mage High students visiting for self-study to gather and take a breather at that place. 

Nodding heavily, Okurayama addressed Nozomi standing right at his side. “In that case, we shall go with you. Kamikiba.” 

“Yes, President.” 

Nozomi tossed her long hair back as she advanced. 

Even then, countless surviving Larvae were wriggling in front of Kojou and company, barring their path. However, Nozomi showed no fear as she emotionlessly gazed upon them. 

“—Please, Therese.” 

From her outstretched right hand spread a cloud of fresh blood infused with demonic energy. 

That scarlet cloud shimmered like a mirage, transforming into a summoned beast surrounded by flames. The monstrous bird had huge wings, bird-of-prey legs, and the upper body of a human being—a harpy. Nozomi Kamikiba was a vampire, and this was her Beast Vassal. 

Yes, one of the very bestial vassals that dwelled within a vampire’s own blood. 

These were concentrations of demonic energy so dense that they possessed their own will. They were monsters that could not be harmed, short of slamming even stronger demonic energy against them. It was the existence of Beast Vassals that made Attack Mages fear vampires as the kings of Demonkind. 

The harpy summoned by Nozomi spread its blazing wings, mowing the surface of the ground. 

That second, dozens of Larvae were blasted apart, annihilated without leaving a single trace. The same went for the individuals concealing themselves in gaps between the boulders, for the harpy’s flames dissolved the huge boulders, scorching them along with the Larvae lurking within. 

“So this is…a vampire’s Beast Vassal…,” Kojou murmured in a daze, watching the frightening yet beautiful summoned beast under Nozomi’s control. 

This was the weapon of a vampire, with which they could smite any foe and protect their loved ones—a summoned beast from another world. 

Or perhaps it was a malevolent power, with which to destroy everything and exist separate from all doctrines of the world. 

This was an ability that Kojou—Fourth Primogenitor and World’s Mightiest Vampire—had once obtained, and one that, along with his memory, he had lost. 

5 

“Just when I was wondering what OS Base meant… It was a hot spring all along…?” 

The subterranean cavern was very broad, with white steam hovering all over the place from nearby hot springs. Switched into a swimsuit, Kojou rested his chin on the edge of the rock bathtub, tiredness coming over him. 

Four hours after entering the Carceri , Kojou and company had arrived at the first observation post: a log house resembling an old mountain cabin. It had a cafeteria and a field hospital, enough beds that thirty or so students could lodge in it, a powerful barrier, and, so he was told, corporate-hired guards protecting it full-time. 

Unlike a regular mountain cabin, it had devices for measuring demonic energy, engineered from expensive materials, dotting the cabin interior…and there was a natural hot spring bubbling up from the center of the broad subterranean cave. Once they arrived at the base, the various members of the Kasugaya Squad finished with meals and equipment maintenance, after which they visited the springs to take a breather. 

“It’s a secret bath reserved especially for the students of the College. They call it a recuperation facility, though,” Rui said, stretching his wrists in the bath. He strained a smile. 

Incidentally, the hot spring was a carbon-dioxide type, the sort said to heal fatigue and light burns and abrasions. When his teammates further asserted to him that it could restore depleted ritual energy, even Kojou couldn’t say, This isn’t the time to take a break in a hot bath . Besides, he keenly understood the desire of Shizuri and the others to cleanse their bodies after fighting viscous monsters like that. 

“So this is why Cas took all that time picking a swimsuit, huh…?” Kojou said with a sigh as he recalled events at the PX the day before. When Shizuri had spotted the swimsuit section in the middle of their shopping trip, she’d made Kojou hold the bags while trying swimsuits on over and over for close to an hour. Thinking back on it now, she must have been fondly looking forward to the underground hot spring. 

“—Are you lodging a complaint?” 

Shizuri, emerging from within the steam, glared sourly at Kojou, having overheard his murmur. OS Base’s rock bath was only gender-segregated in the changing rooms. Wearing a swimsuit was mandatory, so this felt less like a mixed-bathing experience and more like a heated-pool dip. 

Shizuri was wearing a simple, white bikini that matched the color of her hair. It was not a particularly bold design by any stretch, but more of her skin was visible than Kojou had anticipated. 

“Nah, not really. If anything, I’m relieved you dressed according to common sense. I mean, I half expected you to wear one of those retro swimsuits that looks like a prison outfit.” 

“What do you take me for…?” She pouted and sulked at his oddly composed reaction. 

In place of the wimple she always wore, she covered her hair under a bath towel wrapped like a turban. The sight of her ears and nape exposed was so new to Kojou that, if anything, he paid more attention to that than the swimsuit. 

“Seems like I kept you waiting! Uwaa, that hot spring smell…!” 

“H-hey, Yuno! Don’t push like— Hyah?! ” 

When Yuno appeared from behind and stroked her back, Shizuri let out an adorable yelp. 

Yuno was wearing a colorful, checkered triangular bikini. The edges of the swimsuit had modest-looking frills, but they only accentuated her small but very curvy body. 

“Shizuri and I picked it out together last night. Isn’t it cute? Isn’t it so cute?” 

Yuno, energetically jumping into the hot water, twirled around in front of Rui, showing her swimsuit off. 

“I suppose it is. It suits you quite well.” 

Rui smiled in his usual gentle fashion, paying special attention to the lines of her swimsuit as he spoke. Yuno blushed happily and giggled. 

What is this, a date? Kojou grumbled internally, quietly moving away from the flirtatious pair. 

A moment later, he set eyes on a large man relaxing in the shadow of a rock. 

Okurayama, there with a hand towel on top of his head, showed the whites of his teeth as he smiled at Kojou. 

“What is it, Mr. Fourth Primogenitor? That’s quite a sour look on your face.” 

“Nah, I’m fine. I was just thinking about this Carceri a bit.” Kojou couldn’t help speaking what was on his mind when faced with Okurayama’s unexpectedly sharp observational skills. 

Okurayama slightly narrowed his eyes, making a throaty “mm-hmm” as he nodded. 

“It seems that this expedition is your first time in the Carceri . Small wonder you are bewildered by them.” 

“Well, yeah. I mean that should be the case but… President, can I ask you one thing?” 

“But of course. It’s my role to teach and guide the younger students. Ask any question you have.” 

Kojou quietly made a pained smile as he listened to the style in Okurayama’s voice. He really couldn’t think of the student president as a boy in his teens. He seemed far more like an instructor than Kako did. 

“So. I wanted to ask… Prez, why do you want to be an Attack Mage?” 

Okurayama raised his eyebrows, deeply interested in Kojou’s discourteous question. 

“It would seem Mr. Fourth Primogenitor has some reservations about becoming one.” 

“I get why you need professionals to deal with sorcerous criminals and demon beasts, but it’s like—it doesn’t ring a bell with me… At the very least, going around killing the Larvae and Debris here in the Carceri feels different.” 

Kojou felt irritated that he couldn’t phrase it any better than that. He was reminded of when he was speaking to Rui on the first stratum of the Carceri . 

Something was wrong about the current makeup of the Demon Sanctuary. It was twisted—the existence of the Carceri and Debris included. He felt oddly like…he was shut away in the wrong place. 

“I understand where you’re coming from.” 

“What?” Kojou gaped. He hadn’t expected to hear that. 

Amused, Okurayama shot him an impetuous smile. “Surprised? I’ve doubted myself from time to time… In particular, when looking at people like Kamikiba up close.” 

“Kamikiba…?” 

“For the sole reason that she was born as a vampire, she cannot freely leave this puny little island unless and until she becomes an Attack Mage. ‘Is there something wrong with the world?’ I wondered.” 

“…Figures you would.” Kojou nodded as he bit his lip. The two of them felt similarly on that matter. 

“However, those with power must shoulder responsibility of equal weight. I’m embarrassed that I can only put it like this: I hope you grow to become the sort of man who can bear a grandiose title like yours.” 

“That would be nice,” Kojou said with a weary shake of his head. 

The Fourth Primogenitor—the World’s Mightiest Vampire. Kojou knew he couldn’t run from that. The weight of that title wasn’t something anyone had taught him; he’d understood it from the start. Even with his memories currently lost, Kojou’s own title was his single, unwavering truth. 

Setting aside his abnormal regenerative capabilities, Kojou had no powers as a vampire, though. If it was not for Shizuri and the others covering for him, the current reality was that he couldn’t take out a single Larva. 

Without his powers, could he really alter the twisted present state of the Demon Sanctuary? Kojou’s hesitation about that was the underlying cause of his gloom. 

Okurayama, not knowing what rested in Kojou’s heart, broke out in laughter. 

“I must say I’m relieved, though.” 

“…Huh?” Kojou tilted his head. 

Crossing his arms in front of his broad chest, Okurayama nodded, quite satisfied for some reason. 

“I mean, the fact that you, supposedly stronger than anyone, are searching for the right way to use that power.” 

“Nah, it’s nothing as noble-sounding as…” 

“From what I hear, you’ve lost most of your abilities as a vampire. Perhaps this is a test that will help you overcome that hesitation. Mmm, nothing wrong with that.” 

“Ha-ha…” 

Okurayama brought a weak laugh out of Kojou, who smiled painfully, but he really did feel somewhat better. Okurayama must have identified the source of Kojou’s anguish from the start. In contrast to his hearty exterior, he was a perceptive man. It seemed that he wasn’t student president for nothing. 

Kojou thanked Okurayama and got out of the hot water. While remaining heedful of the irregular footing, he made his way toward the men’s changing room. Thanks to having done some deep thinking in the hot spring, he felt like the inside of his head had turned to mist. It seemed best to leave early and replenish fluids. 

He glanced behind himself. 

That instant, something abruptly rose in the corner of Kojou’s mind. 

On the other side of the white steam obstructing his vision, a fragment of a memory rose up like a flash of light. A blue sky. A bright sunny day. An artificial city, wrought from carbon fiber, resin, and magic. It seemed so close he could reach out and touch it, yet it would recede into the distance if he actually tried. The sight was simply that: fleeting. 

In the end, it was nothing more than an illusion between blinks of the eye. 

The memories he tried to grasp slipped through his fingers, vanishing like mist. 

While standing still, he heard a gentle voice. “Akatsuki, are you all right?” 

When Kojou rapidly spun around, unthinking and unguarded, she almost let out a yelp. 

From unexpectedly very close, Nozomi Kamikiba was looking up at Kojou with concern. She had moist eyes and glossy lips. Thanks to her long, black hair being tied up, her slender neck was particularly accentuated. Her white skin had a faint twinge of redness to it, making her face oddly sexy. 

However, what shocked Kojou far more than this was the sight of her bare, slender shoulders. 

Nozomi’s body was clad in a single white bath towel. He could see no sign of the swimsuit she ought to have been wearing. Even though the towel was less revealing than a swimsuit alone, the towel being the only article visible suggested far more to his imagination. 

“Ah, yeah. I just thought I’d get out for a bit.” 

He quickly tried to look away, but Nozomi circled around to his front. It felt like she was about to squish herself against him. 

Nozomi looked up at Kojou while leaning forward slightly. “Is that so? I’m glad, then.” 

Kojou had no way to determine whether a swimsuit actually existed under the bath towel wrapped around her body. What Kojou did barely manage to confirm was that the cleavage created by Nozomi’s breasts ran quite deep. 

“I’m sorry, Akatsuki.” 

“Huh?” 

Seeing the melancholic look in Nozomi’s downcast eyes, Kojou tilted his head, body remaining rigid. 

“I did not intend to eavesdrop, but I heard a little of your conversation with Shidou earlier. That is, the part about being unable to use your powers as a vampire—” 

“Ah… Nah, it’s not like I was trying to hide it or anything.” He strained a smile, awkwardly trying to slip past her. She seemed to read his intention and closed the distance between them even more. 

“Perchance, would you like to try it?” 

“…Try what?” 

The corners of Nozomi’s lips curled up provocatively as she exposed her white fangs, showing them off to Kojou. 

“Vampiric activities.” 

“…Huh?! Whaaat?!” Kojou’s voice went shrill when he realized just what Nozomi had in mind. 

Activities by which a vampire sought the blood of the opposite sex—the trigger for vampiric activities was not hunger, but lust. In other words, Nozomi was seducing Kojou. 

Eccentricities aside, this was a hot spring. Everyone showed a great deal of skin, and with the dense steam, there was no concern about prying eyes. On top of that, Nozomi was beautiful enough to be crowned Miss College of Magical Arts. All the best checkboxes had been ticked. 

“It’s possible such activities might awaken your vampire powers. Furthermore, by sharing the blood memories of the Fourth Primogenitor, I might obtain even greater power. I do not believe it is a poor offer…for either of us. How about it? Just once?” 

“Umm, ummm, but…” 

Playing with Kojou like he was food, Nozomi pressed her bath-towel-wrapped breasts against him. The seductive sensation made Kojou audibly clear his throat. Nozomi smiled with her sharp canines poking out, licking her lips with the moist tip of her tongue. 

“Tee-hee. Or am I dissatisfying as a prospect?” 

Kojou backed away. “Er, that’s… I wouldn’t say that exactly—” 

A frigid voice said right into his ear, “Dissatisfied about what?” 

Kojou flinched. A schoolgirl in a white swimsuit stormed over to him. 

“C-Cas…?!” 

“Oh my.” Nozomi blinked her eyes as she looked at Shizuri, who mercilessly twisted Kojou’s right arm upward behind his back. 

“So you have finally revealed your true colors, Kojou! What did you intend to do to Nozomi in the brief span of time I took my eyes off you?!” 

“I-idiot! I haven’t done anything yet, geez!” 

“…Yet?” Shizuri murmured in a flat voice as she put more strength in the hands gripping Kojou’s arm. The fierce pain seemed to shoot straight to his brain, making Kojou let out an incoherent yelp. 

Observing this, Nozomi shook her head as if lightly scolding a child. “My, my. You mustn’t, Kasugaya. Violence is against the manners of the bath.” 

“This is not the time to speak about manners! And Kamikiba, please refrain from seducing members of the Kasugaya Squad!” 

“My, I am not seducing him at all. Am I?” 

“How can you say that while pushing your breasts against him?! This is why they call you Friendly Fire and Circle Crasher and things like that!” 

“Oh my, Kasugaya, so scaaary.” 

Making an exaggerated tremble with her sweet voice, Nozomi strongly pressed her breasts against Kojou’s right arm. A quite peeved Shizuri tried to pull Kojou with equal vigor. The joints of Kojou’s arms made a disagreeable sound as they reached the limit of the burden they could endure; yet even so, the battle between Shizuri and Nozomi did not come to an end. 

Okurayama rose from the bath with a great spray of water, interrupting the conflict. Slowly surveying the bath area, his eyes came to rest on the jostling between Shizuri and Nozomi. Then, he made a satisfied-looking nod. 

“Hmm. Good, it seems you have all become friends.” 

With those words, he let out a hearty laugh. 

What the heck? Kojou’s shoulders slumped in exhaustion. Nozomi made a pained smile as she let go of him. 

She probably hadn’t given up on seducing Kojou, but at the very least, the fact remained that Okurayama’s entrance onto the stage had shattered the erotic atmosphere. See you again , said Nozomi’s suggestive wink. Noticing this, Shizuri’s cheek twitched. 

“Well then. Now that we’ve cured that fatigue, how about we get going?” Okurayama suggested in a carefree manner, thoroughly ignoring the atmosphere created by Shizuri and Nozomi. 

Nozomi made only the tiniest strained smile as she immediately yielded to the student body president. Watching as the pair returned to the changing rooms, Kojou let out a deep exhale. 

“That guy, President Okurayama, is incredible…in more ways than one…” 

“He’s the only one who could team up with Kamikiba without a care,” Shizuri murmured in a daze. The poison had drained from her expression. 

Apparently, the Okurayama Squad having an unorthodox number of members was the fault of Nozomi rather than Okurayama. Of course, the fact they had permission to walk through the Carceri as a pair meant their might was overwhelming. 

“Incidentally, would you let go of me already? It’s, uh, making me think too much about some stuff…” 

“…Huh?” Shizuri turned to look up at him. “To what do you refer?” Suddenly her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. She’d realized she was touching her own swimsuit-covered breasts against Kojou’s arm. 

Shizuri had a slender physique, but Kojou still thought her breasts were surprisingly soft. They were inferior compared with Yuno’s and Nozomi’s, but that only made the contact feel even closer, like he was being drawn into her skin. 

“Wh…wh…what…are you…?” 

“And…sorry for calling you thin and stuff lately. I take it back.” He nodded with a sober expression. “Well, of course they aren’t on Amase’s or Kamikiba’s level, but Cas, yours are surprisingly—” 

Before Kojou could complete what he thought had been an apology, Shizuri lowered her body into a crouch, and delivered a splendid, textbook judo throw, sending Kojou sailing into the air. 

“Aaaaaaaaaah!” 

Hurled into the hot spring headfirst, Kojou’s cries were erased by the sound of the pillar of water he sent rising. 

As Kojou sank into the hot water, Shizuri attempted to hurl a huge boulder at him to finish him off, but Yuno and Rui rushed in to stop her. 

6 

“Today, we shall continue to BB Base on the second stratum. From tomorrow onward, we shall use that as our base camp for conducting investigations of the second and third strata. Understood?” 

Having finished changing into her usual knightly attire, Shizuri was speaking while spreading out a map. It had been two hours since they’d left OS Base. They would arrive at the second stratum of the Carceri in no time. 

In a straight line, it was roughly five kilometers to the base indicated by her finger. However, the terrain drawn on the map was curved and complex, well-deserving the name of labyrinth , something Kojou had already had his fill of. 

In contrast, Yuno had a dramatic reaction to the term BB Base , leaning her body forward. 

“Ohh, so we’re having grilled meat tonight?” 

“…Grilled meat? Wait, don’t tell me that BB Base stands for barbecue…” Kojou pressed his hands against his head. “What the hell is wrong with this school?” First a hot spring, now a barbecue; none of it held the tension of a field exercise. 

“It’s fundamentally difficult to build an eating facility inside the Carceri , after all. Having students grill their own meat is a last resort on the school’s side of things,” Rui explained, smiling gently like usual. 

“Really…?” Kojou was still skeptical, though. 

“Besides, in a sense, magical combat is a battle of wits and deceptions behind the scenes. One cannot fulfill the mission of an Attack Mage by being serious all the time, so being a tad frivolous is just fine.” 

“I guess… Come to think of it, Natsuki always behaved in a way that made it hard to tell if she was joking or being serious…” 

Kojou’s own murmur gave him a jolt of surprise. 

Countless unfamiliar scenes raced through the corners of his memories like bolts of lightning. His head started hurting—a lot. He saw a girl with long, black hair and an extravagant dress, with the delicate, youthful beauty of a porcelain doll. However, the phantom image sank to the bottom of his memories as quickly as it had appeared. It vanished completely, leaving only an unpleasant malaise behind. 

Feeling the heat of everyone’s stares, Kojou gasped and lifted his face. As he did so, his eyes met the half-lidded eyes of Shizuri and company glaring right back at him. Who’s Natsuki? asked their questioning faces. 

Of course, even if they asked such a question, Kojou had no answer to give them. “The name of yet another girl, huh?” murmured Yuno without ill intent; a delicate, indescribable air was coursing among the members of the Kasugaya Squad. 

Heedless of that was, of course, Okurayama, who laughed in a loud, exuberant fashion. 

“As our destination is the fourth stratum, that means we’ll be operating separately after the next base. The road remaining is short, but take good care of us, ’kay?” 

“Please do.” 

Nozomi flashed a charming smile as she crept closer to Kojou. Shizuri forced herself between them in an apparent preemptive strike. While they were both smiling broadly, their eyes possessed a certain sharpness. They seemed ready to kill. Kojou gently moved away from both girls, trying not to be noticed as he advanced. He didn’t want to be a party to their dispute any longer. 

The exit from the stretch of ravines called the first stratum became a narrow passage so confining that the large-statured Okurayama could just barely fit. The meandering path continued for what seemed like an eternity. 

As soon as they somehow slipped through that stifling terrain, exiting into an open area, Kojou narrowed his eyes in surprise. 

Spread before him was a dense forest. 

Rock faces were covered in moss. The green trees stood thickly together. Pouring down over their heads were the dazzling rays of the afternoon sun. 

For an instant, Kojou felt like they’d returned to the surface. 

However, that was not the case. Kojou and the others remained in the subterranean labyrinth. What seemed like an enormous well was likely some sort of shaft. They were at the bottom of a vertical cavity some ten meters in diameter. 

The ceiling to the underground labyrinth had caved in, making the serene blue sky visible far overhead. 

The subsequent sun shower had to have caused plants to propagate, and so the bottom of the subterranean cavern had turned into a tropical rain forest. 

“You mean…? This is the second stratum of the labyrinth…?” 

“Yes. The second stratum is a sea of trees. Forests spread throughout the subterranean cavity,” Shizuri proudly explained to the stiffened Kojou. 

“I believe you were warned about this from the start but try to pay heed to the rivers flowing through the sea of trees. It is said that the underground waterways continue all the way to the ocean.” 

Kojou’s voice trembled. “Underground…waterways…” 

A ferocious chill crept up from the pit of his stomach and made him feel like his heart had skipped a beat. It wasn’t that he was surprised by the dense forest spread before him—quite the opposite. This should have been Kojou’s first visit to the second stratum of the underground labyrinth of Onrai Island. Yet, he knew this forest scenery. 

“Come to think of it, Kojikoji, are you bad at swimming?” Yuno asked him in concern. Kojou’s face was pale. She’d apparently misunderstood, thinking a fear of drowning was the cause of his turmoil. 

He didn’t have the luxury of clearing up Yuno’s misunderstanding at the moment. 

“No… The waterway… I see… That’s why, I…” 

He was assaulted by dizziness fiercer than any he had felt before. This became a torrent of countless feelings of déjà vu crashing against him. Kojou’s mind was ferociously tossed around as memories of past and present jumbled together. 

“It’s all right. Me and Ruirui and Shizurin and Shizurin are right here with you.” 

“Why did you say my name twice?” 

“Well, that’s just how dependable you are.” 

Yuno kept her tone light and cheerful to console Kojou. Shizuri crossed her arms and sighed with dismay. The pair’s voices echoed inside his head. Yes, Kojou knew this conversation between the girls— 

“I’ll head out for recon, then.” 

Extending her ears, Yuno’s irises narrowed like those of a cat. Something strained inside her boots, causing the soles to produce a peculiar sound. Equipped with nimbleness, agility, and sensory acuity far in excess of that of a normal person, she was the right person for the job for reconnaissance in that dense forest. She could secure a safe route all by herself. That was Yuno’s role in the Kasugaya Squad. 

“Please do.” 

“Leave it to me!” 

Having obtained permission from Shizuri, their squad leader, Yuno leaped forward, leaving a light tap of her feet behind. 

As she swooped down upon a treetop, she used the recoil of the flexible branches to jump once more. She looked as happy as a kitten that had been given a new toy. Even a dense forest with poor visibility was the same as an exciting playground to a beast person like Yuno. 

Melting into the shadows of the thickly growing trees, Yuno’s small body promptly vanished from sight. 

“—Amase, don’t!” Kojou shouted. 

“A-Akatsuki?” Wide-eyed and perplexed, Rui looked at Kojou. 

For once, bewildered expressions also came over the tag team of Okurayama and Nozomi. 

“Miyazumi, stop Amase right now! Call her back!” Kojou urged. 

Attempting to calm down the agitated Kojou, Shizuri approached him as if she was soothing a puppy. “What is the matter, Kojou Akatsuki?” 

Kojou grimaced. The sight of her like that gave him déjà vu. Kojou already knew what was going to happen from that point onward. 

“Outta my way, Cas! At this rate Amase’s in danger!” 

“K-Kojou Akatsuki?!” she exclaimed. Raising her eyebrows, she quietly added, “And who is this Cas of whom you speak?” 

Kojou rudely shoved her aside. Casting off the heavy baggage from his back, he raced into the forest, chasing after Yuno, who was already out of sight. 

Due to the branches and leaves of the overgrown trees, the forest’s interior was dark. The scent of raw tree sap pricked at his nostrils. The dense, humid air slipped through the gaps of his parka to wrap around his skin. 

Brushing aside the tree branches that impeded his path, Kojou continued running intensely. The tree roots covering the ground acted like natural traps that tried to ensnare Kojou’s feet. Numerous lacerations were carved into his skin, and the abrasions on his legs were beyond counting. 

Despite how hard he tried, Kojou couldn’t catch up to Yuno. Her quickness and endurance were far superior to even a vampire’s. 

That was why, from the very beginning, Kojou hadn’t even considered catching up to Yuno. 

He didn’t need to chase after her. After all, Kojou already knew where Yuno was going. Kojou was running to reach the destination ahead of her. 

Once he recognized the back of the bestialized girl, Kojou shouted, “Amase!” 

Yuno’s pointy ears moved around as she, wide-eyed, slowly looked behind her. “Err, Kojikoji? How in the world did you catch up to me?” 

She was standing near a large swamp inside the dense forest, atop one of the clusters of mangrove trees growing at the water’s edge. The sight of her standing on top of a tree with sunlight pouring down looked like a scene straight out of a movie. It seemed surreal. 

But Kojou didn’t have time to be captivated. 

At the same time Kojou came out of a crack in the dense forest, the air behind Yuno moved. 

“Amase, run!” he shouted, short of breath. 

Suddenly, something tore deep into Yuno’s left shoulder. Blood gushed out from the wound. Violet flames had shot out from thin air, turned into a blade, and gouged Yuno’s flesh. 

“Wha…?!” 

Yuno’s small body sailed into the sky and then slammed into tree branches as it fell to the ground. There was so much fresh blood scattering into the air, it dyed the area around her crimson. 

Kojou desperately ran to the scene and picked her body up where it had sunk into soft mulch. 

“Amase! Hold on, Amase!!” 

“It…hurts… What the…?” 

Staring at her own bloody palm, Yuno put on a frail smile. Kojou could say nothing in reply; all he could do was meaninglessly gnash his teeth. 

A surge of malevolent demonic energy brushed past Kojou’s left cheek. The being that had attacked Yuno had materialized above the swamp. 

Spawning from the void, the air shuddered as the contours of an enormous beast took form. 

It was a grotesque monster with many tentacles. It couldn’t clearly be identified as beast nor insect. 

“Why would a Debris be…here of all places…?” Yuno murmured. Fresh blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. 

She was bleeding even more than he’d thought. The wound was serious enough to have knocked out any normal person long ago. 

Beast person or not, she wouldn’t last long in such a state. Even Kojou, with no medical knowledge whatsoever, knew that. 

However, Kojou and Yuno didn’t have time on their side to stop the bleeding. The monster attacked once more, focusing on Yuno. One of its demonic-energy-infused tentacles became a blade that mowed the dense forest down at an angle. 

Picking up Yuno’s body, Kojou slid under the tentacle, evading its attack just in the nick of time. The strike tore apart numerous trees, which then burst into flames one after another. 

“Kojikoji, run ahead of me… I’ll…be all right, so…” 

“Yeah, I’ll run. Together with you!” 

Kojou made that one-sided declaration, ignoring Yuno’s earnest plea. 

He had no intention of abandoning her. Why would he have come all this way if he didn’t intend to help her? The real issue was that Kojou didn’t know if he could get away, even if he was on his own. 

Already the flames had surrounded them in the dense forest, so there weren’t many escape routes to be had. More important still, the Debris’s attack power was overwhelming. Those blades of violet flames could probably kill either of them from one attack at point-blank range. He couldn’t save Yuno like this. 

If only I could summon a Beast Vassal— Kojou bit his lip in frustration. 

According to what he’d heard, the power of one of the Beast Vassals of the Fourth Primogenitor should have been capable of destroying a mere Debris in an instant. However, in his current condition, Kojou was unable to summon a Beast Vassal. He was powerless. 

The Debris raised up a tentacle of flickering flames. 

Still holding and shielding Yuno, Kojou froze. Two tentacles were coming simultaneously from left and right. There was no way he could dodge. Despair gripped his heart as he prepared for the worst. 

Bathed in countless bullets, the Debris’s tentacles burst apart. 

“Akatsuki!” 

His entire body enshrouded in a barrier of ice, Rui emerged, breaking through the wall of flame. 

With a roar, the assault carbine he wielded spat out a hail of bullets. Compared to the rounds of Rui’s favorite pistols or those of common submachine guns, the bullets used by the high-velocity rifle packed a heavier punch. Its rate of fire was seven hundred and fifty rounds per minute. In the blink of an eye, a large quantity of silver iridium–tipped rounds were pumped into the Debris, making its enormous body sway. 

“Miyazumi! Amase’s—!” 

“I know. More importantly, watch out! Behind you!” 

“Behind…?!” 

At Rui’s urging, Kojou looked back, gaping when he noticed the surge of demonic energy blowing his way. It seemed to envelop Kojou and the others, warping the air as a second Debris emerged from within the dense forest. 

But what bewildered Kojou more than this was the existence of a small shadow standing on the new Debris’s back. It was an unfamiliar figure, its entire body enveloped in an all-black robe. 

The slender, feminine silhouette gave off the image of a beautiful Grim Reaper. 

The shadow’s right hand was gripping a single sword, still in its scabbard. 

The pitch-black shadow raised the sword above her head. 

“ You …again…?!” 

Kojou trembled as the words escaped his lips. 

Dizziness like never before struck him, driving him to his knees. 

He recognized this silhouette. She had stood before Kojou and the others time after time, filling him with despair. 

“Don’t tell me… You’re controlling them…?! The Debris…!” he shouted in anguish. 

The robed shadow looked back at him, breaking into a smile—or at least Kojou thought she did. 

The second Debris howled and began to charge in his direction. Mowing down the dense forest between them like brittle candy canes, its enormous forelegs moved to crush Kojou and company. 

However, an incandescent beam from above slammed the Debris against the ground. 

In truth, the beam was a vampire’s Beast Vassal—the harpy Nozomi Kamikiba had dubbed Therese. 

“Devour, Hauras!” 

Immediately following Nozomi’s Beast Vassal, Shizuri leaped in, brandishing the long sword that undulated like a flickering flame. Aiming for the rampaging, wounded Debris, Shizuri mercilessly slammed her radiant blade into it. 

Watching Shizuri fight, Kojou strained his raspy voice to utter, “Kamikiba… Cas…” 

The secret armament Hauras consumed the demonic energy of its opponents, using it to enhance its own might. To Debris, masses of demonic energy, the weapon was fatal, their veritable mortal enemy. The swing of Shizuri’s sword slashed the Debris’s huge body apart, turning it into demonic mincemeat. 

During that time, Nozomi’s Beast Vassal spun around to back up Rui, who unleashed large, high-powered grenades and offensive spell tablets without reservation, overwhelming the Debris. With Nozomi’s Beast Vassal joining in, the tides of battle had turned. Having lost most of its tentacles, the Debris could do nothing but endure the one-sided beatdown. 

“You did well to notice your teammate was in peril. Just as I expected of you, Mr. Fourth Primogenitor!” 

Letting out a hearty laugh, Okurayama was the final one to come into view. Behind him were the remains of multiple Debris that had been blown apart. Apparently, Okurayama had butchered the lot of them all by himself. The Debris summoned to that place hadn’t been limited to the two after Kojou and Yuno. 

“And a woman controlling the Debris… Would you be the rumored Ghost of the Carceri ?” 

Easily whirling about the two-handed sword as tall as his own body, Okurayama turned its tip toward the human silhouette. 

Kojou was still holding the injured Yuno in his arms; his cheek twitched. 

The silhouette in the robe exhaled briefly. The action resembled a mocking laugh. A second later, an especially enormous, pitch-black Debris emerged at her feet. 

Clearly different from those that had come before it, this was a complete beast of a monster. 

“Ha-ha! It’s useless! Do not underestimate the power of the Student President of the College of Magical Arts!” 

With a ferocious howl, Okurayama broke into a sprint. 

Geometric symbols appeared on his great sword; they were magic. This was only natural for a prospective Attack Mage. Not only did Okurayama boast simple brute strength, but he was an exceptional spellcaster as well. Swinging down his spell-augmented great sword, Okurayama slashed toward the Debris with a mighty roar. 

Consumed by fear, Kojou shouted, “Don’t, Prez! This is—!” 

“Nn…?!” Okurayama twisted his face. 

The pitch-black Debris opened its mouth wide, and from its gaping maw came a dark beam— 

Without a sound, that beam tore Okurayama’s sword apart. It pierced even his armor’s defenses and opened a large hole in his torso. 

“Guh… I have failed…!” 

Fresh blood splattered violently as Okurayama fell to the ground faceup. Kojou stared, dumbfounded by the sight. His head hurt as if it was on fire. He felt like his memories were being overwritten by force. 

“President—!” Nozomi shrieked. 

Her harpy Beast Vassal turned into a blazing comet as it flew toward the Debris. Rui moved simultaneously, bringing his oversized sniper rifle down from his back and sniping at the robed woman standing on the Debris’s back. 

“No… Stop…!” 

Kojou’s murmur was aimed not at Rui or Nozomi, but toward the woman in the robe. Before it could reach her, the robed woman emitted a voiceless cackle. 

In an irritated fashion, the black Debris swung a shadowy-looking foreleg toward the harpy. 

The dazzling beam scattered fireworks, blasting apart the Beast Vassal. The harpy, which should have been absolutely immune to damage save from even greater demonic energy, was destroyed by the pitch-black Debris all too easily. 

Rui’s precise one-shot, one-kill round found its way to the robed woman’s heart, only to slip through her body. There was no bullet impact, no damage, nor even the slightest change to the bullet’s arc. The bullet had not touched the woman’s flesh. The spectacle truly looked like it was a ghost that had been sniped. 

“Therese…!” 

“That’s impossible…” 

The unexpected results of their own attacks froze them both in place. 

Taking advantage of their mental lapse, the pitch-black Debris spewed its beam. It became a dark blade, mowing down huge sections of the dense forest, and Nozomi and Rui with it. 

The spectacle was one-sided and so very cruel. Kojou stared, unable to raise his voice. 

“What…? What in the world…? How did—?!” Shizuri shouted with a haunted expression on her face, her blade glowing crimson. 

Shielding Kojou and the wounded Yuno, Shizuri blocked the beam. It was no doubt precisely because Hauras devoured demonic energy that she barely managed to withstand it. 

However, even with the power of Hauras, there was no proof that she could defeat an intangible “ghost”— 

“Do you understand now…Kojou Akatsuki…?” 

The robed woman’s voice echoed through the burning forest. It was a flat, unnatural voice wrought not from vocal cords but from a spell. It contained bottomless malice and just the faintest hint of pity. 

“No matter how many times you repeat this, it will end the same… You cannot protect anyone…” 

“I’m…repeating this…?” 

The woman’s provocative words delivered a blow that seemed to shake Kojou to his core. 

Lost memories. A torrent of déjà vu. 

Where had he come from? Why was he there…? Questions entwined his fingertips like cut pieces of thread. 

Yes. Kojou knew the secret of this world. 

“Don’t tell me… The one who wiped my memory was…” 

“The peace and tranquility you desire is nothing but an illusion… It must all be destroyed…by your hand…” 

“Shut up… Shut up, shut up, shut up!” 

Anger surged in Kojou’s entire body, painting his vision a deep red. 

It was no longer an issue of whether he could summon his Beast Vassals or not. The robed woman’s taunts had made Kojou’s emotions explode. The vast demonic energy of the Fourth Primogenitor was unleashed without restraint; the dense forest’s soil ferociously quaked in response. 

“Kojou!” 

Realizing that something was very wrong with Kojou, Shizuri put strength into the hand gripping her sword. 

What arose in those eyes was great anguish and inner turmoil. 

Now that he’d forgotten himself and run amok, Kojou had become a threat greater than the Debris. If he continued emitting his inexhaustible demonic energy, the Carceri —nay, Onrai Island itself—would inevitably collapse. 

Shizuri was the only one who could stop it. Should she judge Kojou Akatsuki was a dangerous being, it was Shizuri’s assigned duty as a paladin to cut him down on the spot. That meant, however, that she would slay a member of her own squad. 

As if to mock Shizuri’s gloom, the robed woman loudly laughed. 

Kojou shook with anger, his demonic energy turning into pale bolts of lightning that made the world shudder. 

Shizuri’s hand on her sword trembled. 

Kojou raised his right arm high. A line of fresh blood trickled down from where he had bitten his lip. A crimson mist infused with demonic energy enveloped the area around him. 

A sealed Beast Vassal of the Fourth Primogenitor had been released. 

Instinctively afraid, Shiruzi screamed. 

The shadow of an enormous beast swayed behind Kojou, about to split the earth. But just before it could— 

“No, Senpai. You mustn’t—” 

—Shizuri heard a gentle voice, as if a little girl was scolding him. 

A nearly transparent girl came into view, trying to move up against the berserk Kojou. 

Shrouding her entire body was static that resembled a rainbow sandstorm. Her right hand gripped a metal spear, glowing silver. The girl looked exactly like the ghost that Shizuri and Kojou had encountered the other day. 

“………!” 

The girl’s voice became the trigger that brought the glint of reason back to Kojou’s eyes. On the verge of exploding, his demonic energy dissipated as if it had never existed, and the quaking of the world relented. 

“Sword Shaman…of the Lion King Agency… Why are you…?!” 

The robed woman’s voice trembled with shock and rage. The ghostly girl’s appearance had cruelly stripped away all her composure. 

The Debris unleashed a beam directly at the ghostly girl. 

Nonetheless, the girl’s expression did not change. Her spear erased the attack with ease. Then with a single blow, she rent the pitch-black Debris’s own body. It dissipated into nothing. 

By the time the Debris’s fragments scattered as particles of light and vanished, the robed woman had also disappeared from sight as if she had disappeared into thin air. She had concealed herself and fled. 

“Who are you?! What is that spear…?!” Shizuri asked the girl. 

The girl twirled the spear without a word. With the static surrounding the supposed ghost, Shizuri was more keenly aware of the dazzling radiance given off by the girl’s weapon. 

“Ngh!” Shizuri turned her sword toward the girl. 

The ghost, perhaps aware of Shizuri’s hostility, quietly poised her spear in turn. It was a stance with no openings, reminiscent of a supple and ferocious feline beast. Her fighting spirit was as tranquil as the serene surface of a lake. 

In contrast, Shizuri adopted an upper-left stance—an offensive form in kendo known as the Fire Stance. With thunderous spirit, she sought to make up for the reach disadvantage with attack speed, betting everything on her opening strike. 

Time seemed to stand still as a tense silence fell between them. 

The two read each other for even the slightest changes in breathing. As both reached the zenith of their tension— 

“Stop, Himeragi !” 

Shielding Shizuri, Kojou leaped in front of the ghostly girl. 

Without a word, as if certain from the start that was what he would do, she thrust her spear forward. Kojou’s arms were both spread apart as it aimed for his heart. 

“What…?” he murmured frailly, gazing at the tip of the spear impaling his own chest. 

His entire body became enveloped in dim light. It was glowing, rainbow-colored static just like that of the ghost girl. With the spear linking both their forms together, they flickered like mirages and vanished. 

“Kojou!” 

Shizuri stretched her hand out toward the fading boy’s back. 

However, her fingertips never touched Kojou’s flesh as they futilely slipped through thin air. 

When Shizuri wobbled and looked back, he was nowhere to be found. The World’s Mightiest Vampire and the girl with the silver spear had both vanished. It was as if neither of them had existed in that world to begin with. 

The only ones remaining afterward were Shizuri and the unconscious Yuno. 

At the last place Kojou stood, the military parka he’d been wearing fell to the ground. 

In a daze, Shizuri dropped her sword, clutching the gray parka against her. 

Intermission II 

The sun trickling over the water’s horizon made the beach shine white. 

There was a predawn sea breeze. Gentle waves quietly drew near, drenching the body of the boy who continued sleeping like the dead. His looks were decidedly average, and he lay facedown at the edge of the crashing waves. 

The back of his uniform was torn, as if some sharp bladed object had been thrust through it. 

The area around him was marred with traces of blood. It coursed from the open wound, dyeing his back a glossy crimson. Such a deep wound would have killed any normal person. 

The color had completely drained from his lips. His breathing was ragged, unstable. 

To the side of his face, the air shuddered with a growl. It was a low, irregular, vibrating sound resembling distant thunder. 

The sound gradually increased in clarity, finally turning into the roar of a turbo shaft engine. 

“Ugh…!” 

The boy’s voice trickled out in anguish as crude wind pressure seemed to slam right into him. 

An aircraft was descending, vigorously causing waves to ripple over the surface of the sea. Despite that, it looked unobtrusive, as if it simply melted into the sky. It was a multi-role reconnaissance helicopter from Europe’s Didier Heavy Industries. 

A dazzling searchlight shone down upon the boy’s back. 

Amid the haziness of his mind, the boy crawled over the sand as if to escape the light. 

He heard light footsteps, almost like wings. The recon helicopter was hovering in midair as a small girl leaped down to stand on the beach. 

“I finally found you, Senpai.” 

There were both fatigue and relief in the girl’s voice. 

The somehow familiar ring of the girl’s voice made the boy slowly open his eyes. 

She still had traces of youth, but the girl’s face was pretty. Her body was slender and delicate yet did not give off a frail impression. She possessed a supple tenacity, like a blade forged by a master swordsmith. 

The girl was wearing a white sailor-themed school uniform with a blue collar. Her hand was gripping a silver spear. 

“…Sen…pai?” the boy asked back amid the confusion of his mind. He struggled to reach out to his memories, supposedly somewhere, yet just a tiny bit beyond his reach. 

Her name. Her identity. And the reason she called him Senpai… He could not remember things he ought to know. Things that should have been obvious. Anxiety gripped him. 

“Could it be that you do not remember, Akatsuki- senpai ?” 

As if sensing his reaction, and somewhat peeved by it for some reason, the girl quietly poised her spear. Her glossy hair danced in the wind, her eyes staring straight at the boy, a powerful will residing within them. 

She thrust her polished, silver blade, resting it against the throat of the still-prone boy. 

This became akin to a trigger, sending fireworks scattering in the back of his mind. A veritable beam of vast memories pressed against him all at once, making him let up an agonized groan from the blow. 

It was all over in a second, though. The fog in his mind cleared, like awakening from a long dream. 

Grimacing with the pain from the wound in his chest, Kojou hopped up from the beach. 

“Himeragi!” 

Pushing the soaked hair from his face, Kojou stared back at the girl wielding the spear. She was Yukina Himeragi, Sword Shaman of the Lion King Agency—the true watcher of the Fourth Primogenitor. 

“Yes, Senpai.” 

Yukina slowly lowered the spear, making a small smile of relief. It still felt like she was pouting a bit, but that was probably a measure of just how much Kojou had made her worry. 

But her charming smile and reserved eyes froze when Kojou continued with a question. 

“Where’s Cas ?” 

“…What?” 

Without even blinking, all expression abruptly vanished from Yukina’s face as she stared at Kojou. 

However, careless as it was, Kojou did not notice the change in her, his face remaining completely serious. 

“Cas. Shizuri Kasugaya Castiella! The white-haired girl who was with me—” 

You saw her too, right? Kojou was about to say, but for some reason, Yukina made a half-lidded glare that cowed him into silence. Then, she posed a question in a composed manner. 

“The white-haired one. Pretty, isn’t she?” 

“Yeah. Well, if you’re asking me my opinion, I’d say she’s pretty, but…” 

To Kojou, Shizuri gave off the impression of a wordy and meddlesome girl; however, in terms of appearance alone, she was a very beautiful person. 

When Kojou politely acknowledged that fact, Yukina gazed at him more coldly still. 

“Senpai, what is the relationship between you and this girl?” 

“Relationship? That was one-sided, with her monitoring me… I don’t know much about her business, but she was always around when I was on Onrai Island—” 

“I see. Meaning she was with you the entire time, Senpai.” She then murmured to herself a quiet “I see.” 

She broke into a smile. It was a perfect, smiling face without any flaws whatsoever. But despite the pleasant response it should have elicited, Kojou went rigid, feeling a nonsensical chill. 

“Could you tell me about it in greater detail?” Yukina asked, grasping her silver spear tightly. 

The morning sun rose over the water’s horizon, shining upon the beach where Kojou and Yukina stood. 

Floating up amid the morning mist was a horde of modern buildings—an artificial city wrought of carbon fiber, resin, and magic. It was the landscape of the Demon Sanctuary of Itogami Island. 

The engine noise of the hovering recon helicopter continued to echo above the pair’s heads. 

Kojou stared in a daze at the nostalgic sight of the artificial isle. 

Almost as if he had never seen the island before—