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Seiji took the briefcase over to Peach-sensei’s apartment and handed her two sets of personal barrier talismans along with the instruction booklet.
“Keep the talisman on your body, and then read the incantation…” Mayuzumi tried using the talisman after she read the instructions.
There was a flash of light.
“The barrier has indeed activated.” Using [Astral Vision], Seiji was able to see a faint white glow on Mayuzumi.
“I can’t see it…”
“This barrier is effective against physical attacks as well. Let’s try it out.”
Seiji asked Mayuzumi to bring him a broom. Then, he swung it at her using a slight amount of force.
*Smack!* The broom was blocked by an invisible power.
Seiji was clearly able to see in the field of his [Astral Vision] that a barrier spell formation had blocked his “attack.”
They had now confirmed that the product they purchased was working properly.
Seiji said goodbye and left afterwards. Then, he headed for the Juumonji Group’s residence and gave three sets of personal barrier talismans and one set of fixed location barrier talismans to Hisashi together with the instruction booklet.
“Thank you, Seigo. You’ve been a great help.”
“I only acted as the middleman. No need to be polite.”
The two of them exchanged smiles.
They said goodbye to each other after wishing each other a Happy New Year’s.
Shika placed some barriers of her own as well, protecting Seiji’s apartment, the Uehara Family’s residence, as well as Kaede’s apartment.
Seiji chatted online with the three Amami siblings and learned that they received some talismans from their grandfather that appeared top-class. They felt like these talismans really would have the ability to exorcise demons.
Well, those talismans were the real deal… But since Shouzou Amami didn’t tell them the truth, Seiji refrained from saying anything unnecessary.
He hoped that there wouldn’t be a night of one hundred demons tonight.
Although it would be somewhat awkward if the demons stopped appearing after he went to all this trouble for everyone, he still felt that it would be better than meeting actual danger.
After he finished chatting with the Amami siblings, Seiji picked up his wooden sword.
This Kapok tree bark sword that Natsuya gave him also gave him something in his [Gifts] rewards in his system—[Beginner-level sword techniques learning card]!
After he used this card, he was immediately able to learn [Martial arts technique – Beginning-level sword techniques].
The effect was simple and direct, which he considered excellent and strong.
Seiji tried things out immediately. Now, the way he swung his wooden sword around looked proper. It seemed possible for him to generate sword waves as well.
His character reward card [Shika Kagura] now unlocked its fourth special ability as well:
[Additional ability 4: Ice Calamity Blade (Prerequisite: beginner-level sword techniques required.)]
[Spiritual weapon technique. Can only be activated when wielding a spiritual weapon. Slice with the power of ice. At the same time, materialize a spiritual sword of ice for an additional attack. This technique uses both Mana and physical energy. The attack’s power depends on the amount of Mana and physical energy expended. Limited to two times usage per day. This blade shall bring about an Ice Calamity!]
‘System, you’ve finally stopped copying from Overwatch.’ This was Seiji’s first thought after reading the additional comment at the end.
An ice sword technique that was limited to two uses per day and its attack power depended on how much Mana and physical energy he expended… this seemed to him like it could be used as one of his ultimate techniques.
He really wanted to go to the president’s residence and go practice it immediately in her underground practice field, but he decided to forget about it for tonight.
Seiji felt that it was quite fun to hear the sound of his wooden sword whistling through the air as he swung the wooden sword around in his own study.
At this time, Mika and Chiaki came over.
“This place feels totally safe!” Chiaki said this as she casually sat down by the kotatsu as if this was her own home. “I’m even beginning to look forward to seeing demons appear. I want to see what real demons look like, and I also want to watch Seiji coolly defeating the demons.”
“Don’t say it like you’re an audience member at the live filming of some show.” Seiji poured some tea for Chiaki and Mika.
“But that’s exactly my current feelings, as if I’m waiting to watch a show. It’ll be best if something like a Tamamo-no-Mae or Great Tengu comes. That’ll make for an amazing fight.”
“Chiaki, you…” Mika glanced coldly in her good friend’s direction.
“Don’t be so overconfident. Perhaps a major demon will arrive and eat you instantly. We won’t even be able to save you in time,” Seiji said in a low voice.
“Eh? That wouldn’t really happen, would it?” Chiaki’s expression froze over slightly.
“It’s not impossible. If a really strong demon appears, the barrier might not be able to block it, and it’ll suddenly rush in…” Seiji continued narrating in a low tone as he gradually put on a cold and cruel expression. “There might even be some vicious demon that we can’t deal with by any means other than escaping. At such a time, someone needs to be the bait to distract its attention. You just happen to be the perfect sacrificial candidate.”
“No!”
“This is my real motive in inviting you over here, heh heh.”
“So insidious!”
“The barrier already envelops us. There’s no escaping for you even if you try.”
“Save me!” Chiaki pretended to shiver.
Seiji revealed a villainous expression and laughed loudly three times.
‘As expected, whenever the two of them are together, they can take the tension out of any situation.’ Mika mentally commented on the situation as she silently sipped some tea.
“By the way, Mika. How was it, learning from Kinsa-san this afternoon?” Seiji changed the topic after he finished joking around.
“It was… alright.” The twintailed girl revealed a complex expression.
Why did she have such an expression again? Seiji and Chiaki were both rather curious.
“At any rate, Master Kinsa is a good Master, and under her teachings, I believe that I can learn much from her. However, it also feels like I’ll lose something…” Mika looked off into the distance as she said so in a soft voice.
Why did it feel like she experienced so much? Just what could she have experienced?
If this was a manga, Seiji and Chiaki’s heads would be covered in question marks.
Although they wanted to know more, there was an atmosphere of being unwilling to talk about it around the twintailed girl, so they found themselves unable to ask.
Kaede and Reo walked out from another room into the living room.
After the loli and the mature woman greeted Mika and Chiaki, they sat down in front of the television and started playing a video game together.
“When did you add Juumonji-sensei into your home here? You evil person.” Chiaki looked towards Seiji.
“Don’t say it like I have wicked intentions. She’s accompanying Reo-chan.”
“You’re using an elementary school girl to seduce a beautiful teacher. You evil person!”
“It looks like you’re adamant on calling me an evil person regardless…”
“If you don’t like that term, how about I call you a beast instead?”
“That’s even worse!”
Some joyful music began playing on the television screen as it showed a plumber and an often-kidnapped princess racing against each other on a racetrack. These video game characters used various underhanded methods to attempt obstructing their opponents from progressing, desiring victory at all costs.
The night gradually darkened outside.
Yukari took a look at the time.
It was the time when she would typically go to sleep. However, anxiety caused her not to feel sleepy at all.
Would demons really appear?
She didn’t regret politely rejecting Seigo’s offer to help her. But when she thought about how demons might really appear, she still felt a little scared.
‘Relax, it’s fine.’
She already told Seigo that if she really did meet a demon, she would ask for help from him immediately, and that he would come right over.
The purple-haired girl felt reassured as she recalled his figure.
She picked up her cell phone and sent Seigo a message through a chatting application. “Good night, Mister Hero.”
Two seconds later, she received an almost instant reply.
“Good night, Princess.” This was followed by a smiling emoticon.
Yukari smiled sweetly upon seeing this.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the chatting application, Seiji made up his mind to wait until midnight.
He wanted to see if the Midnight Spell would repeat itself again… although he didn’t feel like it was probable, he was still somewhat worried.
Logically speaking, such a large-scale magic spell wouldn’t be so easy to cast again on such short notice. Besides, all the Spiritual Ability users in the city were on guard now. Doing something so major again… did this faction really treat all the Spiritual Ability users in this city as idiots?
The ‘Soul World’ faction couldn’t possibly be so suicidal, could they?
But, what if this mysterious faction ignored all logic with their actions?