Kazuya and Mashu stood up from the table after about two hours of meeting with Azazel, but before they had a chance to leave, the Leader of the Fallen Angels interrupted them.
"Ah, before you go, human-kun, I forgot to tell you something..." Azazel interjected, raising his hand with a mischievous smile: "Something I need to tell you. The demons have been looking for me. Several times. Just yesterday, about three attempts to contact me..."
Kazuya slightly furrowed his brow.
"Demons? For what?"
"They want to arrange a meeting with you." Azazel leaned back in his chair: "And from the way they talked... I think they have a pretty interesting proposal. Who knows, you might even like it..."
Kazuya fell silent for a few seconds, looking at Mashu as if gauging her opinion before deciding.
"What do you think, Mashu? Considering everything I've told you so far about our involvement with the demons..."
She adjusted her glasses, visibly thoughtful.
"Well... I don't think it would be bad to accept. At least we could hear what they have to say before deciding anything. B-but I don't think I want to see that Sirzechs guy who tried to manipulate you, senpai... I feel like I'd want to punch him in the face..."
"...Did you hear that?" Kazuya gave Mashu a strange look; she seemed as aggressive about this as she had been during the Sixth Singularity, probably because it involved him and the fact that he had almost become a slave to the demons...
Azazel laughed.
"Hahahahaha, no need to worry, ojou-chan. It's not Sirzechs who wants to meet with Chaldea, but their Foreign Affairs Maou, Serafall Leviathan..."
"..."
Kazuya turned his gaze back to Azazel.
"Alright. Set up the meeting then..."
"Any specific time?" Azazel asked.
"Tonight. At the usual bar."
A satisfied smile spread across Azazel's face.
"Hah... I knew you'd say that..."
.
.
.
.
.
Kazuya smirked, a glint passing through his eyes. In his mind, the meeting that night with Serafall Leviathan had already played out in countless ways, each possibility explored and calculated through his [Fourth Magic], a power that granted him something very close to omniscience.
The mastery of the Fourth Magic is known as the Omniscience and Omnipotence of Atomic Structures.
In simple terms, it grants the user an unimaginable processing capacity, allowing them to understand, with absolute precision, the location and momentum of every atom in the universe, as well as their past and future states.
Beyond observation, the Fourth Magic enables the manipulation of the position and momentum of any atom. For example: the user could identify the exact trajectory and speed of the fragments of a glass window the moment it shatters (observation phase) and then alter those trajectories to prevent them from cutting a bystander's throat (manipulation phase), thus avoiding their death. Another aspect of this power is the manipulation of vectors. Since the Fourth Magic tracks the position of any atom in the past or future, and knowing that motion is defined by magnitude and direction, it naturally allows for the control of Euclidean vectors with absolute precision.
But its most impressive effect is the so-called [Event Horizon]. By knowing the position and momentum of every atom at any point in time, the user can mentally model, with near-infinite processing, all positions, velocities, energies, and interactions in existence. This allows them to: Predict with absolute accuracy any physical event that has not yet occurred. Simulate all possible lines of causality and identify which one will become reality. Calculate not only trajectories but also the cascading consequences of every action, whether it's the fall of a leaf or the outcome of global military movements.
The only theoretical limitation lies in events tied to conscious will, whose unpredictability stems from the complexity of mental processes. However, since the Fourth Magic also allows the modeling of neurochemical reactions in any brain—and neurons are, after all, atoms—even human decisions can be predicted before they happen.
Along with many other interesting effects...
He only snapped out of this state of contemplation when he heard Mashu's soft, yet concerned voice:
"Senpai... is everything okay?"
He blinked, returning to reality, and looked at her with a calm smile: "Yeah... I just got a bit distracted..."
Shortly after, now far from the Fallen Angels' headquarters, Kazuya and Mashu walked side by side through the small island of Miyajima. The salty scent of the sea mingled with the faint aroma of incense drifting from the Itsukushima Shrine. The calm waters reflected the blue sky, and the red torii gate seemed to truly float, imposing and serene.
They crossed the wooden boardwalks leading to the prayer hall, stopping briefly to watch tourists and monks pass by. Then, they continued through the narrow streets, where small shops sold souvenirs and traditional sweets.
Near the Daisho-in Temple, Mashu was enchanted by the golden prayer wheels along the stone staircase.
"Wow... Senpai, I read in some books that spinning each of these while climbing brings blessings..." She looked at Kazuya with a shy smile: "Can we try?"
Kazuya raised an eyebrow but eventually gave in.
"Why not?"
The two began to climb, slowly spinning each prayer wheel. The soft, metallic sound echoed through the air, mingling with the distant chime of bells. Halfway up, everything was peaceful... until a small group of curious deer, typical of the island, appeared.
One of them got too close to Mashu, sniffing the bag she was carrying.
"Eh?! S-senpai! It's trying to steal my stuff!" Mashu took a step back, laughing nervously.
The deer, persistent, shoved its snout into her coat pocket, trying to grab a pack of cookies she had bought earlier. Before Mashu could shoo it away, another deer approached from the side, staring at Kazuya as if expecting a snack too.
Kazuya sighed, materializing some food out of thin air and offering a piece.
"Here. Just don't tell the others."
It was futile. Within seconds, two more deer appeared, surrounding them. Mashu, laughing, gave in and fed one of them. The simple, unexpected moment brought a light air to the morning, a stark contrast to the political tension awaiting them that night.
After escaping the deer's "ambush," they took the cable car up to the top of Mount Misen.
The cable car carried them slowly to the summit, the cabin swaying gently with the soft sea breeze. From up there, Miyajima looked like a small jewel resting on sparkling waters, the red torii now appearing tiny, floating between the deep blue of the ocean and the green of the hills. In the distance, Hiroshima stretched out like a watercolor painting softened by the light summer mist.
When they reached the platform, they disembarked and followed a narrow trail surrounded by pine trees, the breeze carrying the scent of resin and sea air. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of birds. Eventually, they found a natural lookout point, a rocky outcrop offering an almost surreal view of the Seto Inland Sea.
The place was surprisingly empty. It was just the two of them, as if the world had decided to give them that moment of peace. Kazuya sat down first, resting his arms on his knees, and Mashu soon settled beside him, their shoulders touching.
For a few minutes, they simply gazed at the horizon.
The sky was a pure blue, with white clouds drifting slowly, casting moving shadows over the rippling surface of the sea.
Kazuya couldn't help but let his thoughts drift back to his past life. As a teenager, he had lived on this island, where he had fled after leaving his mother's apartment. That's why he chose to come here today. With everything that had happened lately, he hadn't had a single moment to revisit the place he had once called home after escaping the hell of his old life.
"It's… beautiful…" Mashu said in a low voice, as if speaking too loudly might ruin the moment: "It's been a while since we just… looked at something like this. No rush. No urgency after another."
Kazuya gave a small smile.
"I think the last time was before all the Lostbelt problems. And even then… it wasn't as calm as this. Honestly, it never was… we always had one problem after another to deal with and the constant pressure of having to save humanity."
Mashu nodded, adjusting her glasses.
"Since I came to this world and returned to your side, senpai… Sometimes I think about everything we've been through. Fuyuki, Orleans, Septem, Okeanos, London, E Pluribus Unum, Camelot… and, of course, Babylonia." She looked at him: "Senpai, we've really changed a lot since the beginning. Especially you…"
He chuckled softly.
"Yeah, I've definitely changed. But you've changed more than you think, Mashu. When we first met, you could barely speak without getting nervous. Now here you are, yelling at Fallen Angels and… wanting to punch one of the most influential kings of the underworld."
She blushed slightly, looking away.
"I just… don't like it when people try to use you. I don't care if it's Sirzechs, a god, or some self-important nobody."
"I know…" Kazuya placed his hand over hers, intertwining their fingers: "And I'd do the same for you…"
A comfortable silence stretched between them, filled only by the sound of the wind.
Then, Kazuya broke the pause: "But going back to what we were talking about earlier, you're not the only one who thinks about these things, Mashu. I still remember the Lostbelts… I never imagined we'd have to face entire worlds to restore our own. Each one with people who just wanted to live, even knowing their fate… was to disappear…"
Mashu sighed, her gaze growing distant.
"Anastasia… Ivan… Scáthach-Skadi… all of them. In the end, even when they knew they'd lose, they didn't give up fighting for their world. And we had to be the ones who…" She bit her lip, her voice wavering: "We had to be the ones who erased those worlds…"
"It wasn't us who chose that role…" Kazuya squeezed her hand a little: "But if we hadn't done it, our world would've disappeared too. And all the people we saved in the Singularities… all the history we protected… it would've been over."
She nodded slowly.
"I know… but it's still hard to swallow. Especially when I remember how some of those farewells went. Kirschtaria… even him… I think I learned a lot about the weight of carrying impossible decisions…"
Kazuya put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer.
"That's the kind of thing only someone with a strong heart can say. You didn't just survive all of that, Mashu. You stayed… you stayed yourself. And that's something I admire more than any skill you have on the battlefield…"
Mashu rested her head on his shoulder, and for a few moments, she just listened to the steady beat of his heart. The breeze gently tousled her hair, and the scent of salt and pine leaves mingled in the air.
"Senpai…" Her voice came out almost in a whisper: "If it weren't for you, I don't think I'd have ever found the courage to be more than a shield. I never would've believed I could protect someone and… still smile in the process."
He looked at her, serious.
"And if it weren't for you, Mashu, I wouldn't be here now. Not just physically… but mentally. After everything we've seen, everything we've done… having you by my side is what kept me sane…"
She lifted her gaze, her lilac eyes shining in the daylight.
"So… I guess that means we saved each other, didn't it?"
"Yeah…" He smiled: "And we'll keep doing that, no matter what comes…"
Mashu bit her lip, as if hesitating, but then relaxed her face and leaned closer. Kazuya didn't pull back. On the contrary, his hand rose to gently caress her face.
"Mashu…"
She closed her eyes, and he did the same.
The first touch of their lips was soft. Mashu's lips were gentle, with a faint sweet taste from the cookies she had eaten earlier while laughing at the curious deer. The initial hesitation didn't last long; Kazuya leaned in, deepening the kiss, and Mashu responded with equal intensity, their lips parting in a silent invitation.
He accepted, and his tongue met hers in a slow, exploratory movement, a sudden warmth coursing through both of them.
The kiss took on a life of its own, turning into an intimate and fluid dance.
Kazuya's hand slid from her cheek to the nape of her neck, his fingers tangling in her lilac hair and pulling her gently closer. He felt her muffled sigh against his mouth, a vulnerable yet determined sound, as if she were giving herself fully without losing her strength. Mashu, in turn, rested her hand on his chest, her fingers pressing against the fabric of his shirt to feel the warmth of his skin and the quickened rhythm of his heart. It was as if she wanted to be sure he was there, that this moment was real.
And for her, everything had felt like a dream in the last few days since coming to this world; she could see her "senpai" again and stay by his side once more, and that was all that mattered to her.
…The kiss ended as naturally as it had begun. There was no rush to pull away, just a brief moment where their foreheads remained touching, both breathing faster than usual, still feeling each other's warmth.
Kazuya gave a slight smile, as if wanting to keep that moment just for himself.
"Shall we take a walk?" he asked in a casual tone, but with a glint in his eyes that betrayed how pleased he was.
Mashu blinked a few times, still a bit flushed, and nodded with a shy smile.
"Y-yes… I'd love that, senpai…"
They stood up from the lookout point and followed the trail winding down the slope. The walk had no specific destination; they stopped occasionally to admire a view, listen to the sound of a hidden waterfall, or simply feel the sea breeze.
In a wider section, they came across a small group of tourists feeding more deer, and Mashu laughed softly.
"I think they rule the whole island…"
"And we almost became their hostages earlier today…" Kazuya retorted, amused.
They continued on, gradually descending to the busier streets. The aroma of fresh food began to waft through the air, coming from stalls offering everything from grilled oysters to the famous stuffed rice cakes.
Mashu, drawn by the sweet scent of something baking, gently tugged Kazuya's arm toward a small shop selling momiji manju, small maple-leaf-shaped cakes filled with sweet bean paste.
"Senpai… you have to try this…" she said, almost too excited for her usual demeanor.
"Alright, but only if you pick the filling…" he replied, letting her decide.
They ended up buying a tray with various flavors. They ate right there, sitting on a wooden bench, watching the bustle around them. With each bite, Mashu seemed to relax more, as if the accumulated tension of recent days was melting away in the simple pleasure of being there.
Later, Kazuya challenged her to try a paper scoop fishing game, the kind often seen at festivals. She tried to focus, but the thin paper tore too quickly, and the balls sank before she could catch any. Kazuya, on the other hand, caught three in a row, making Mashu puff out her cheeks in mock indignation.
"You're cheating, senpai."
"Just a little…" he said, handing her one of the balls that won a prize.
They went on like that, moving from one spot to another, exploring every corner of the island. They visited small craft shops, where Mashu was enchanted by wooden figurines. They stopped to watch monks playing drums in a temple courtyard, the deep sound resonating in their chests. Along the way, an elderly man told them local stories, including legends about guardian spirits of the mountains and sea.
By noon, they chose a traditional restaurant with a view of the bay. They sat at a low table on tatami mats and ordered fresh seafood dishes—sashimi, shrimp tempura, grilled oysters. Mashu tried everything with curiosity, and Kazuya, seeing her so at ease, couldn't help but notice how these simple moments made her happy.
Lunch stretched on unhurriedly. Between one conversation and another, the topic briefly returned to the night awaiting them, but neither wanted to dive too deeply into it there. It was as if they were protecting that space of tranquility against the tide of problems that would surely come.
When they left the restaurant, the afternoon was already turning golden with the sunset. They walked to the water's edge, where the red torii seemed even more imposing, reflecting on the calm sea surface. Children ran along the sand, and a few boats passed slowly in the distance.
"Senpai…" Mashu began, looking at the horizon: "Sometimes I think that if there weren't so many battles, I could live in a place like this…"
"Me too. But I think even if we lived here, something would end up dragging us back into chaos…"
She laughed softly.
"Probably."
They stayed there a few more minutes, in silence, just taking in the scent of salt and the sound of the waves. Then, Kazuya glanced at his watch.
"We'd better go. I don't want Azazel complaining if we're late."
Mashu nodded.
They left the island as the sun slowly sank into the sea, painting everything in shades of orange and pink.
And so, they walked side by side, heading toward the agreed-upon meeting place with Serafall Leviathan.
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