Chapter 363: Attack, the Exorcist of Lotharingia
The sun was setting.
The rippling sea surface, dyed crimson by the lingering glow, continuously lapped against the coastal breakwater.
Itogami Island East District Port Warehouse.
He remembered the last time he came here was because of The Banquet of Flamelight, which had left the place battered and on the verge of collapse after a fierce battle.
But now, everything had changed.
The once-shattered traces had long been repaired, and the area had even been completely sealed off by a cordon set up not long ago.
The security police and Demon Hunters of Itogami Island were bustling anxiously near the cordoned-off warehouse.
Upon seeing Natsuki Minamiya arrive, their faces lit up with relief.
"Senior Natsuki, you're here!"
Sasasaki Misaki, dressed in a cheongsam, spotted Natsuki Minamiya and, like a big dog seeing a toy, immediately rushed over.
Her speed was astonishing, her steps mysterious and profound.
In an instant, she wrapped her arms around Natsuki Minamiya, completely enveloping the petite Natsuki-chan with her imposing figure.
"Let go of me, you stupid dog!!"
Natsuki-chan's folding fan tapped repeatedly on Sasasaki Misaki's head, but the latter seemed completely unfazed, paying no heed.
Even when she noticed Mahiro had followed, she merely greeted him warmly, gently patting his head with her hand before continuing to hug Natsuki Minamiya.
The police officers who had initially wanted to step forward and greet them couldn't help but turn away, pretending not to see anything.
They couldn't afford to provoke Sasasaki Misaki.
Despite her gentle demeanor around Natsuki Minamiya and Mahiro, Sasasaki Misaki's temper wasn't exactly mild, especially in her roles as a school physical education teacher and a police instructor.
Calling her a devil wouldn't be an exaggeration.
And as for the Witch of the Void, Natsuki Minamiya, she was even more beyond the reach of these lowly security personnel.
However, to Mahiro, this scene felt somewhat peculiar.
Sasasaki Misaki was Natsuki Minamiya's junior, having known each other since their student days, and their relationship was very close—something he had known for a while.
Moreover, Sasasaki Misaki was also a Demon Hunter, a security officer on Itogami Island, and seemingly held a fairly high rank.
Beyond that, what caught his attention was the footwork she had just displayed.
It shared similarities with the art of shrinking distances.
Her speed was so fast that it left afterimages in her wake, and even Natsuki Minamiya, who excelled in Space Magic, had been unable to dodge in time.
Truth be told, he had never seen this woman with her hair tied in two buns in action, so he had no idea how strong she truly was.
The only thing known was that Sasasaki Misaki was skilled in martial arts and Senjutsu.
Rumored to have single-handedly destroyed violent organizations, split the ground with her bare hands, and released beams of energy waves from her palms, she was a female martial artist surrounded by numerous urban legends.
She was the "Immortal Maiden" among the Four Fist Immortals.
After a moment, Sasasaki Misaki finally ended her "torment" of Natsuki Minamiya, seemingly satisfied.
To be precise, Sasasaki Misaki was hoisted up by the Laeding summoned by Natsuki Minamiya. Only after repeated promises did Natsuki release her, dropping her to the ground.
"Stupid dog, now tell me how the investigation is going?"
Natsuki Minamiya asked while straightening her slightly disheveled clothes.
When serious matters were mentioned, Sasasaki Misaki immediately stopped her playful antics, her expression turning serious.
"The situation isn't good. The way those demons died is strange—two D-Types and one L-Type, all were decapitated and stabbed through the heart, but before their hearts were pierced, they seemed to have already died from drained magical power."
Drained magical power?
Mahiro caught that phrase.
For some inexplicable reason, he felt a sense of familiarity, and a few conjectures surfaced in his mind.
Just as Natsuki Minamiya was frowning in confusion, he tentatively spoke up:
"Can you take me to see them?"
Upon hearing this, Sasasaki Misaki looked at Natsuki Minamiya, her gaze carrying a questioning intent, while Natsuki-chan's eyes fell on him.
"Did you think of something?"
"Yeah, pretty much. It's just speculation at this point, but I need to see the condition of the bodies." Mahiro nodded seriously and earnestly.
Seeing he wasn't joking, Natsuki Minamiya ordered them to be taken to see the scene and the bodies.
Led by Sasasaki Misaki, Natsuki and Mahiro passed through the blockade and entered the scene.
It was inside a warehouse.
Aside from stacked goods, there were three corpses lying beneath those cargo boxes.
Upon stepping inside, they could smell the heavy scent of blood permeating the air.
Around the bodies were traces of a struggle. Besides signs of Beast Vassals wreaking havoc, the most noticeable were the deep, distinct marks on the ground.
"Are these marks from a blade?" Natsuki Minamiya observed for a moment and reached her conclusion.
Just as Sasasaki Misaki beside her was about to speak, Mahiro first denied it:
"Not a blade, they're axe marks."
"Axe marks? From an axe?"
"Yeah, exactly."
Mahiro crouched down, gently touching the marks with his hand.
"If it were a blade, it wouldn't leave such wide marks. Based on this width and depth, it should be something like a European long-handled battle axe."
"Oh~? I didn't expect you, Mahiro, to be so knowledgeable about cold weapons." Sasasaki Misaki was surprised by Mahiro's performance, as if rediscovering him.
She had always thought Mahiro was just academically excellent and strong in combat, but didn't realize he was so knowledgeable about such niche subjects.
Mahiro shrugged and smiled:
"Well, not exactly highly knowledgeable, just somewhat familiar. After all, I'm kind of a sword user myself."
Yeah, an Elf sword is also a sword.
If disregarding morality and censorship, it could even serve as a sheath.
But Sasasaki Misaki looked at him with a puzzled expression. She truly didn't know much about Mahiro's actual situation.
She only knew that Mahiro had many girls around him, and it was said even the stern, emotionally detached Witch of the Notaria, Tokoyogi Aya, had been won over.
She just wondered when Natsuki-senpai would fall...
Thinking this, her gaze involuntarily fell on the petite black Gothic Lolita beside her.
Natsuki Minamiya ignored the foolish dog's gaze and instead looked at Mahiro's calm face, continuing to ask:
"So you should already have the answer now, right?"
Having spent so much time with Mahiro, upon observing the fleeting look of understanding on his face, she knew Mahiro must surely know who the culprit was.
"Mm, pretty much, but I won't say it, and I don't really want to."
Mahiro calmly stood up and looked at Natsuki Minamiya seriously:
"My suggestion is to hand this case over to me and not let anyone else get involved. Or let the security team investigate it themselves, but I doubt those idiots will figure it out in less than a month or two.
And I can guarantee that during this time, the culprit will continue to commit crimes on Itogami Island without any restraint."
"Huh?!"
Misaki Sasasaki exclaimed in surprise, turning to look at Natsuki Minamiya, only to find her nodding slightly.
"Alright, I'll leave this matter to you."
Without the slightest hesitation, she agreed decisively!
"Thanks then, I owe you one, cute Natsuki-chan."
"Hmph, cut it out! Causing less trouble would be far better!"
Natsuki Minamiya crossed her arms, huffing with a tsundere expression.
Seeing this, Mahiro simply smiled and said nothing more, turning around and leaving the warehouse.
Watching his figure disappear under the setting sun, Misaki Sasasaki couldn't help but ask:
"Natsuki-senpai, is this really okay? No matter how you look at it, this is the job of Itogami Island's security team, and Mahiro-kun is only a Demon Hunter stationed on Itogami Island on a freelance basis. The people at the Artificial Island Management Corporation won't be happy, right?"
Hearing this, Natsuki Minamiya immediately snorted coldly:
"Hmph, so what if they're unhappy? Let those old geezers come find me themselves!"
If this were five years ago, Natsuki Minamiya would still have been polite to those people, but now she only felt disgust and revulsion toward those old fools.
Because the covert investigation into Itogami Island had already yielded some results, and those results were exactly as Mahiro had said!
As for Mahiro, who had left the warehouse, he didn't use spatial movement to return home directly.
Instead, he strolled leisurely along the way.
"Mahiro-sama."
"It's Beta."
Mahiro spoke as if talking to himself.
The next moment, a girl wearing a milky-white knit sweater and a blue plaid miniskirt suddenly appeared beside him. The round-framed glasses on her nose didn't make her look the least bit plain; instead, they added a touch of literary charm.
The tight, flesh-revealing white stockings and brown knee-high boots peeking out from under her miniskirt looked particularly alluring.
Her swaying silver short hair further highlighted her youthful beauty.
"Mahiro-sama, do you need us to take care of that person for you?"
"No need, I'll handle it myself."
His response left Beta somewhat puzzled.
"Mahiro-sama, why is that? That's just an ordinary Exorcist, not particularly strong."
Since the end of The Banquet of Flamelight, Shadow Garden had begun consolidating its forces, focusing all its efforts on Itogami Island and monitoring everything happening there.
Especially incoming personnel.
So, Beta naturally knew who had committed this murder.
It was an Exorcist from Lotharingia, Rudolf Eustach—a fanatic driven mad by his faith!
"I have my own pace. You don't need to intervene in this matter."
Mahiro still didn't explain everything to Beta.
There was no need.
It was simply because he felt this Exorcist did not deserve to die. Ultimately, this matter was Itogami Island's fault—stealing the arm of a saint's remains to maintain the core that suppresses the island.
Such a thing, anyone would find unacceptable.
At the very least, if it were him, he absolutely could not endure it.
He'd probably turn the whole world upside down and sink the island itself!
Therefore, it was perfectly reasonable for someone to come specifically to reclaim the saint's arm.
For this reason, upon learning that Rudolf Eustach was the perpetrator, he decided to take full responsibility for this mission and had already formulated a plan in his mind.
The night was as dark as ink.
Black seawater churned on the calm sea.
Although Itogami Island, the sleepless city of demons, remained brightly lit, darkness still existed beneath the lights, and there were places the light could not reach.
For instance, on a dim, deserted street in the northern district, two drunken demons were gathered together, causing a drunken ruckus.
Just then, a childish yet mechanically calm voice suddenly rang out from the darkness.
"Would you like to play with me?"
Under the faint glow of a streetlight stood a woman.
No, she couldn't be called a woman—she was a petite blue-haired girl who looked very young.
Her eyes were as deep as the pale blue sea, and a knee-length cloak covered her entire body. She was barefoot.
"Tch... just a kid," one of the men said, looking disappointed after seeing her appearance.
The two men glanced at each other, their expressions careless.
They were drawn to her, staggering closer, entirely because of her unusually beautiful appearance.
Her skin was translucent and fair, with large eyes and perfectly symmetrical, delicate features.
A girl with a faint biological presence, resembling a fairy.
"Approaching men late at night—we can't just treat it as a joke," one of the eerie men said flippantly. They wore Demon Registration Bracelets on their hands, proving their identities as demons.
The two men closed in on the girl from both sides. Both were around twenty years old—one with an eerie aura, the other wearing a black suit in a host style, with brown hair, exuding a rough temperament.
The eerie man bared his fangs, revealing his nature as a demon—he was a D-Type Vampire.
Most likely, seeing the girl had triggered his sexual excitement, causing his vampiric urges to flare up.
The other man roughly removed the bracelet from his right hand, leaving nothing to suppress his demonic abilities.
With his shirt off, his muscles bulged, and his back was covered in brown fur—he had transformed into a Beastman.
"We might leave you with some psychological scars, so don't blame us."
The men stared at the girl with intense, excited gazes. But the girl's expression remained unchanged. She looked up at the two men with a hint of sorrow, her eyes shimmering with what seemed like pity.
At that moment, another voice rang out—
"—A sleepless city where demons strut about with their heads held high. This artificial island is like a cursed, decadent metropolis."
A gentle yet sorrowful voice came from behind the two demonic beings. The sudden, unusual disturbance startled them, and they turned around to see.
In the shadowy corner beneath a streetlight stood a man.
He was a foreigner dressed in clerical robes, with golden hair shaved into a crew cut. A metal monocle resembling an eyepatch covered his left eye. He stood over 190 centimeters tall and appeared to be around forty years old, but the massive muscles bulging from his shoulders made him seem untouched by the wear of age.
The sheer intimidation he exuded could only be rivaled by a certain tax-evading priest with a taste for spicy tofu.
Beneath his clerical robes, the outline of metallic armor was faintly visible, adding to his already sturdy build.
It was an armored reinforcement suit used by military heavy infantry units, radiating immense pressure.
In his right hand, the middle-aged man held a metal halberd—a battle axe with a massive blade, likely quite heavy, yet he wielded it effortlessly with one hand.
"Are you a Demon Hunter?" the Vampire man asked, his voice dripping with murderous intent.
"If you were watching, you should already know. That woman approached us first, so you have no right to lecture us. Stay out of our way and leave," the man warned in a hoarse, barely distinguishable voice, having transformed into a Beastman.
"I am fully aware, which is why I said, 'Let's play.' I am the one picking a fight here."
Expressionless, the robed man stared at the two demonic beings and raised the blade of his axe toward them.
"You old fool, looking down on us... So that kid is with you, huh?" the Vampire man snarled. As battle-hungry demons, their uncontrollable urge to kill surged, and he bared his fangs with a low growl.
"As you wish, I'll slaughter you!"
With a stomp, the Beastman's body explosively accelerated, his sharp claws tearing toward the defenseless man's face.
The robed man easily deflected the attack with his battle axe. Stunned, the Beastman's expression twisted in disbelief. He launched repeated assaults, but the result remained the same.
"Fast, but too predictable. As expected, you're no match for the regular Beastmen soldiers of the Dominion. Pitiful..."
The reinforced armor beneath the middle-aged man's robes emitted a roar like that of a wild beast as his muscular strength amplified to its limit. The pavement cracked rapidly, and the air trembled.
The man's battle axe swung with blinding speed, leaving a trail of afterimages. The divine strike was so swift that the Beastman couldn't even react.
"Gah...!" The axe blade descended from shoulder to waist, cleaving through the Beastman's massive body and sending it flying. Warm blood splattered, filling the surroundings with the scent of iron.
The sounds of shattering bones and tearing flesh followed a moment later. A human would have died instantly.
Even for a Beastman with resilient vitality, such a severe injury was life-threatening.
"..."
Staring blankly at his wounded companion, the Vampire man roared.
"My name is Rudolf Eustach, an Exorcist of Lotharingia," the middle-aged man stated without a change in expression.
"I don't care who you are. I'll kill you," the Vampire snarled, his malice fully exposed as dark Magical Power erupted from his left leg.
"Burn him to ashes, Scorching Hoof!"
The Magical Power twisted into the form of a flaming horse and lunged at the robed man.
It was a scorching Beast Vassal, blazing at a thousand degrees Celsius.
The air shimmered with heat waves, leaving behind the stench of scorched earth devoured by flames.
As if having waited a long time, a smile appeared at the corner of the man's lips. The completely unexpected scene made the Vampire man widen his eyes.
Before the robed man, an invisible barrier-like shield appeared, blocking the attack of the blazing demonic horse.
It turned out that the girl standing beside the Exorcist had deployed a peculiar Barrier to protect him.
Blocked by that Barrier, the Beast Vassal's flames could not reach its target. However, the girl's defensive Barrier seemed insufficient to completely repel the Beast Vassal. The pressure from the clash between the barrier and the flames caused the air to tremble, and then a weak sigh escaped the girl's lips, as if she could not bear the intense energy conflict.
"It seems there is room for improvement. Tonight's experiment ends here, Astarte."
Rudolf observed the girl's performance and spoke with a hint of regret.
"Yes, Exorcist-sama."
The blue-haired girl called Astarte quietly closed her eyes.
She pulled open her cloak and, in a flat, artificial voice devoid of inflection, declared: "Command accepted. Execute, Rosa Fingertip."
As her words fell, Magical Power erupted from the gaps in her robe.
It was a clear, pale-white glowing arm, larger than the girl's slender frame.
As if piercing through from her lower abdomen, the hand moved like a living serpent, arching and extending to impale the Vampire's Beast Vassal.
Pierced through its body, the fire horse roared in agony.
The attack of the transparent arm did not cease. It swept through several more times, as if intent on devouring the flame Beast Vassal.
Unable to maintain its physical form, the Beast Vassal vanished. The Vampire man collapsed on the spot. Having lost a vast amount of Magical Power and unable to move, his lips trembled with fear.
"How could this be…"
Rudolf stated indifferently: "Using a stronger Beast Vassal to counter a Beast Vassal—it's simple to defeat it. The principle is straightforward."
"Impossible… You say that is a Beast Vassal? She… she is clearly not a Vampire…"
The Vampire stared at the massive hand extending from the girl's body and whimpered.
Coldly looking down at the two fallen demon race members, Rudolf said: "Though they are not worth killing, if left alone, they will eventually perish along with the artificial island. Astarte, grant them mercy."
Rudolf instructed the blue-haired girl expressionlessly. Sensing the meaning behind his words, the Vampire trembled and tried to flee.
The girl glanced at the man with her pale blue eyes, her lips quivering as she said: "Command accepted."
The massive, pale-white glowing arm began to writhe like a malicious beast. Only two desolate screams were heard.