"Let's see... if we follow the route Lavinia scouted for me earlier... it should be just past this residential area."
"I recall this area being a maze of winding roads," Masaomi noted. "If we stick to the streets, it's going to take quite some time."
"To be honest, yes," I replied.
I pulled the map of Kuoh Town from my pocket, double-checking the topography Lavinia and Miltan had investigated for me. This neighborhood was built into the side of a mountain, making it a nightmare to navigate in a straight line. While we could reach our destination eventually, considering the chaos in the Underworld and Cleria's safety, we didn't have a second to waste. A confrontation with Shidou was almost certainly inevitable.
Since there was no one else around—and Mephisto would have noticed any surveillance—we had reverted to our usual way of speaking. Though the boss was currently a hamster, I still referred to him as Lovestar. I was currently wearing a hooded robe to conceal my magical girl outfit. The thought that I'd have to reveal myself as a "Magical Girl" again once we faced Shidou made me profoundly depressed. But a mysterious magical girl was guaranteed to confuse the enemy more than a generic magician. Magical girls truly are terrifying entities.
"Masaomi, with your physical capabilities, could you simply move in a straight line through here?" Lovestar asked from my shoulder.
"In the literal sense?" Masaomi asked, looking puzzled.
"Precisely."
"I... believe I can."
Masaomi stared at the residential maze ahead for a moment before giving a firm nod. He understood what Lovestar meant: ignoring the roads and leaping over the obstacles. Masaomi looked at me with a flash of concern, however.
He could easily ignore the streets, but having me with him made it difficult. Under Mephisto's orders, I was forbidden from using my Sacred Gear in front of others. Even when necessary, I was told to keep its power as discreet as possible. As a result, Masaomi and the Belial servants had no idea I was a Sacred Gear possessor. I had even blamed my invisibility on magic.
But in this situation, not using the Gear was out of the question. More importantly, the method I was about to use to locate Cleria required its power. I needed to tell Masaomi the truth. I suspect Lovestar had reached the same conclusion, which is why he asked that question.
"Um, Lovestar..."
"I know, Kanata. I am authorizing the use of your Sacred Gear. He's going to find out anyway once we get there."
"A Sacred Gear? You have one, Kanata?" Masaomi looked surprised. "But I don't feel the aura characteristic of a possessor..."
I scratched my cheek and deactivated the "Sacred Gear Presence Erasure" formula. I summoned my partner into my hand. Perhaps because I had developed a rudimentary form of Senjutsu during my training with Tannin, I could feel a crimson aura enveloping both me and the spear the moment I focused. I assumed this was the "Sacred Gear Aura" people talked about.
Seeing the crimson spear and the aura manifest in my hand, Masaomi's eyes widened. He seemed to finally understand the various oddities he'd witnessed. I suppose a warrior of his caliber could read auras easily. It also meant that as long as I hid the presence, I was hard to detect. Without my specific power of "Erasure," hiding that aura is incredibly difficult; even Professor Azazel said that just learning to perceive the aura is a feat in itself.
With the secret out, there was no reason to hesitate. We didn't have time for a full explanation of my abilities, so I'd have to talk while we moved. To show him what I could do, I spoke the "word" and wrapped the Gear's power around me.
"I'll explain while we jump across the roofs. Shall we go?"
"Phew... alright. Kanata, I feel like my sense of reality is being systematically dismantled every time I'm with you."
What is that supposed to mean, Masaomi? And Lovestar was nodding in agreement beside him. In the world of High School DxD, jumping across buildings is basic. The main cast usually skips the jumping and just flies. If anything, Masaomi is the one who's "superhuman" for being able to reach the rooftops with just human physical strength. Humans in this world are just built differently.
I kicked off the ground and landed softly on a fence, using the momentum to glide up to the nearest roof. Lovestar clung to my robe with his claws. Masaomi gave a short laugh, took a running start, and kicked off a wall to pull himself up alongside me. At this pace, we could move in a straight line at high speed.
We exchanged a nod and took off. The darkness of the night and the falling snow meant no civilians would spot us. We moved carefully but swiftly, ensuring we didn't lose our footing.
"I see... so that magical girl outfit really was a disguise," Masaomi noted.
"If people found out we were magicians from the Grau Zauberer, it would be a disaster. But this is Japan—land of the mystical! I figured if a 'Magical Girl' showed up for the sake of love, people would just... roll with it. Or maybe I've just given up on logic at this point."
"I... see. I won't ask for details. And the robot?"
"That... well... what even was that?"
"The tragic end of an adult who got carried away," Lovestar quipped.
Harsh, boss. I didn't say it out loud, though. The key to being liked by your superior is knowing when to stay silent.
As we moved toward our destination, Masaomi, Lovestar, and I discussed the situation. Charging blindly into Shidou's location was dangerous, especially with Cleria as a hostage. Honestly, the situation in Kuoh was shifting so fast my head was spinning.
Masaomi explained what had happened before I arrived, and it sounded like a close call. Mephisto had contacted me while I was reluctantly changing into my outfit, and I had teleported to Kuoh in a panic. When I heard that "Devils and Exorcists had teamed up to purge Masaomi and the Belial servants," I thought my heart was going to stop. Fortunately, Miltan's quick work and my own overwhelming shame at being seen as a magical girl had kept the panic at bay.
"To think the Exorcists moved just to protect their leader's stomach. I didn't realize Shidou's health was that bad..."
"Yeah... it hurts to think about. I had no idea I had pushed him that far regarding my own purge," Masaomi said, his voice thick with regret.
"That isn't your fault, Masaomi!" I shouted. He couldn't help that his former comrades cared about him. Shidou's ulcers were beyond our control.
"Masaomi, don't shoulder the blame for Shidou's stomach," Lovestar added.
"Lovestar..."
"I mean, I really don't think you need to feel responsible. Shidou wouldn't want that. Besides... the real responsibility lies with the 'guardians' who didn't stop the primary cause of the trouble because it was 'convenient'."
Lovestar muttered the last part under his breath, leaving us both confused. But I knew he was trying to ease Masaomi's heart. I realized once again that Mephisto is a kind man—even if he was staring at me with a distant look for some reason. Noticing my confusion, Lovestar leaned in and whispered into my ear, too quiet for Masaomi to hear.
"Kanata... once this is over, there is a truth I must share with you. Prepare yourself."
"Wait, what? Did I do something else wrong?"
"Hehe. I'm glad to see you're finally gaining some self-awareness."
"Wait, why are you tearing up while saying that? What did I do!?"
Apparently, I had committed some monumental blunder, but he refused to tell me until the mission was over. He claimed that knowing now would "interfere with Cleria's rescue," so I had no choice but to accept it. My anxiety was peaking—I was already dealing with an Underworld crisis; I didn't need a "Kanata disaster" on top of it.
"We're almost there."
"I see... to think there was Church property here that even I didn't know about."
"They likely chose a location specifically to hide it from you and the Belial servants," Lovestar noted.
Because it was Church land, Devils couldn't approach. But because it was built using Devil magic, the Church members wouldn't understand its mechanics. The location's security relied on the fact that no one had a complete understanding of both sides—except for magicians. We were humans, so the Church grounds didn't stop us, and as magicians, we could analyze the Devil magic circles. Our enemies never anticipated a third party interfering in a dispute between the Church and the Devils.
They never expected "idiots" like us to risk everything for a cause that offered us no profit and massive risk.
"This is the Kuoh Nature Reserve," Masaomi said. "The area is barricaded, and the trees are so thick you can't see anything inside. It's a perfect hiding spot."
"Indeed. This is the heart of the barrier the Devils have placed over the town. There should be a catalyst or a magic circle maintaining it. Let's find it."
"Find it? Is it that easy, Lovestar?"
"They've likely set up concealment, perception-blurring, and traps to keep out civilians or other organizations. Not that it matters to me."
Lovestar hopped off my shoulder and began to sniff the air. He led us into the forest, moving in a zig-zag pattern to avoid the traps. He was an ancient Devil and the Director of the Magicians' Association; these traps were child's play to him. I gripped my spear, ready to fulfill my role. According to the data Lavinia gave me, my power should be able to interfere with this barrier.
"Kanata... I understand we're heading for the barrier core. But how does that help us find Cleria?"
"Oh, I explained my Sacred Gear's power, didn't I?"
"Yeah... the power of Erasure..."
"Right. I'm going to use Erasure to wipe the 'Devil permissions' from the barrier. Then, using a Pseudo-Kankara Formula, I'll funnel my own magic in and overwrite the permissions with my own. Once I have control of the magic circle, I can use it to find her."
"You're going to... what!?"
Masaomi let out a strangled cry of shock. He looked at me as if I'd just suggested something impossible, but it wasn't thatbig a deal. I was only able to do it because Lavinia had given me the technical specs and Lovestar was providing the backup. With my skill level, I'd only be able to hold control for a few minutes at most. Since it was a stationary circle with no caster nearby, I had a chance.
Still, using the Kankara Formula made me realize how terrifying Ajuka Beelzebub really is. He can see through any ritual instantly, overwrite it even while a caster is present, and improve it on the fly. That Satan is the ultimate nightmare for any magic-user. Physical combat is the only way to beat him.
"You're going to 'take over' the magic circle?"
"It's the surest way. This barrier has a function to track the location of the Belial servants. That's why Cleria and the others couldn't move freely. We're going to turn that against them. If she's in Kuoh Town, the barrier will show me exactly where she is."
This would save us the time of searching blindly and avoid any ambushes from enemies waiting for us. If we knew where she was, we could plan our approach. Spending a little time here was worth it to conserve our energy.
The Devil responsible for the barrier was likely too busy to notice. The Underworld was in chaos, and the Devils in Kuoh were occupied with "Magical Girls" and "Super Robots." And Mephisto would cover my tracks afterward, erasing the fact that I'd ever touched the ritual. Having a reliable boss is the best feeling in the world.
As I finished explaining, Masaomi looked down, lost in thought. I felt a surge of anxiety—did I say something wrong? He looked back at me with a complicated expression.
"Kanata... is the reason you're under the protection of a Great Devil like Mephisto Pheles... because of that Sacred Gear?"
"Well... yeah. I don't really have any other talents."
"…I see. Yes, I see. A lot of things make sense now."
Masaomi slumped his shoulders, looking weary. Lovestar stopped and looked back at him. Since he was a hamster, he just looked like he was twitching his nose, but the atmosphere was heavy.
"We're here, Kanata. There's a small stone shrine just ahead. That's the anchor for the Kuoh Town barrier. I'll manifest the magic circle; you take it from there."
"Got it! Sorry, Masaomi, I'll be right back."
I stepped past Masaomi and approached the shrine where Lovestar was rhythmically tapping the stone and muttering a "Ham-ham-ham" chant. He looked like he was having a great time. I wondered if he was secretly under a lot of stress...
I focused on my spear. I couldn't interfere with someone else's magic alone, but my partner would watch my back. I'm a flawed host, but because this spear is here, I can be as selfish as I want. It's my other half, the one I trust with everything.
"I'm counting on you, partner."
I stroked the hilt of the crimson spear. In response, a crimson light flashed in my mind, and a warm, familiar presence flowed through me—
<—————>
"Huh?"
I thought I heard something.
"Kanata? ...Is something the matter?"
"Oh! Sorry! I was spacing out! I'll start now!"
I hurriedly leveled the spear at the manifested magic circle. Following Lavinia's instructions, I targeted only the user permissions, leaving the rest of the ritual intact so it would eventually repair itself. The "Erasure" effect of my Gear began to eat away at the specific lines of the formula I had targeted.
"Erasure: Delete."
First, I created the "blank space." As I carved out the permissions, Lovestar used his own power to stabilize my magic within the circle, allowing me to focus entirely on the flow. If I tried to handle a barrier of this scale alone, I'd run out of energy in seconds. After a few minutes, I had successfully gained control of the ritual's framework.
"Erasure: Remove."
Next, I eliminated the specific functions that would trigger alarms. Parts of the demonic script within the circle were erased by the crimson light, leaving gaps. Since it was under my control, I locked the self-destruct and repair functions. I wiped the sweat from my brow with my sleeve, exhaling in relief.
Finally, the last step. I leveled the tip of the spear at the void I had created. I was performing a pseudo-version of Ajuka's technique. I couldn't rewrite the entire ritual on the fly like he could, but I could punch a hole in it and overwrite the specific part I needed. Using the power of "Erasure" to delete existing laws and the power of "Construction" (represented by my magic) to create my own.
Ajuka had once muttered, "It's not impossible to erase even the laws of this world and create a new formula."That had been my hint. I didn't understand it at the time, but the Satan really is on another level. Even doing this pseudo-version, I realized that the power of the "Transcendentals" is an absolute cheat. What took me minutes of grueling effort, they could do with a flick of a finger.
"Alright... let's do this. Pseudo-Kankara—"
I stopped. I was definitely using a pseudo-Kankara Formula, but using that name felt... wrong. It was just a copy. A human like me claiming to use the signature move of the Four Great Satans felt like I was asking for trouble.
But I'm not great with names. Professor Azazel is the one with the "Chuunibyou" talent for naming forms and moves. I could decide later, but first impressions are important. "Kankara Formula" sounds cool because a Satan uses it. If I give it a long name, I'll just get tired.
...Fine, let's keep it simple.
"New formula, be born—Rewrite!"
I felt a sudden click, as if a gear had shifted into place. My consciousness and my words aligned, and the crimson Gear glowed with a deep, pulsing light. My aura and my partner's aura filled the gaps, carving my name into the magic circle. It felt like the Gear was providing more aura than I was—was that okay? Well, it meant I didn't have to use much magic, so I wasn't complaining.
Wait... was the Gear's total aura output increasing? I didn't remember doing anything special. I stared at the successful magic circle, wondering what had just happened. Well, it worked, so I wasn't going to overthink it.
"Kanata? Did it work?"
"Oh, yes! Everything looks good!"
Masaomi, who was out of his depth with magic, looked relieved. He approached the circle and nodded in admiration, even if he didn't fully understand what he was looking at.
"Rewriting an existing magic circle... Kanata, is that a big deal for magicians?"
"Um, probably? But there are people who can do it naturally."
"I see..."
People like Ajuka Beelzebub or Vasco Strada, the former wielder of Durandal. Mephisto could probably do it too. This world really is an arms race of monsters.
"Lovestar, does this look acceptable?"
"..."
"Lovestar? Mephisto?"
"Oh, yes. Sorry. It looks perfect. Well done, Kanata."
Lovestar had been staring at the magic circle without blinking. When I called out, he went back to his usual gentle tone. He hopped back onto my shoulder and patted my cheek as if to say "Good boy." It was a little embarrassing, so I looked away.
"…Hmm."
"Anyway, I'm going to activate the tracking function now."
"Right. I'll wait with Masaomi."
We couldn't waste any more time. I activated the circle, and a holographic map of Kuoh Town appeared, dotted with red lights.
There were several dots at the park we had just left—those were Luciana and the others. I scanned the map, looking for a lone red dot away from the others. Finally, I saw it.
"Found her."
A single red dot was pulsing in a building a short distance away. Cleria was waiting. I gripped my Sacred Gear and fixed my gaze on the destination.
***
"…Ajuka. Just how much of this did you see coming?"
Mephisto Pheles watched Kanata focus on the map, his voice barely a whisper. Kanata had told him about his infiltration into Ajuka's office and what the Satan had said to him. Based on that reaction, there was no doubt Ajuka Beelzebub had sensed something when he analyzed the boy's Sacred Gear.
Azazel, too, had been curious, which was why he wanted to take the boy to Grigori. Mephisto had kept his composure, but he knew Kanata's Gear was an anomaly. He had acted as if everything were normal to avoid scaring the boy, but a dozen theories were racing through his mind.
When Kanata said "Rewrite," the aura that leaked from the spear felt like it had a will of its own. Yet the Gear was supposed to be a hollow tool. Mephisto had checked Kanata's body, but the boy himself was unchanged. The spear was the cause.
"He's already at this level... I don't know when his Balance Breaker might manifest. I need to start taking this seriously."
Kanata was constantly with Lavinia, a Longinus possessor. And indirectly, he was already causing shifts in the world's balance. Reaching Balance Breaker is rare, but Kanata had a habit of "stumbling" into impossible situations. The only saving grace was that he was still timid and mentally immature.
"Lord Mephisto?"
Masaomi approached the hamster, his eyes filled with a deepening anxiety as he watched Kanata focus on the map. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"That 'Rewrite' technique Kanata just used... does it mean he could interfere with not just Devils and Magicians, but also Church barriers or even the seals of Heaven?"
"He doesn't have the knowledge or technique for that yet."
"So you're saying that if he gains that knowledge, he could rewrite every existing ritual in the world?"
Masaomi's question was born of concern for Kanata, not hostility. He knew how the Church hierarchy would react to a boy who could touch their taboos.
"Ajuka's 'Pseudo-Technique' is an apt description," Mephisto noted. Ajuka's Kankara Formula is a supreme art that controls all phenomena through equations. He can manipulate magic circles as easily as breathing.
But Ajuka is still a Devil. Even with the boundaries between Holy and Demonic blurred, he can only reproduce Holy power through his own demonic equations. He cannot truly "rewrite" Holy power. He can neutralize it, but he can't make it his own. If he could, Heaven would have considered him their greatest threat.
But Kanata is human, and his "Rewrite" comes from Ruin Lorn Scarlet. To interfere with a ritual, he needs understanding, magic power, and aura. Magic power derived from demonic energy might struggle with Holy power, but aura—the essence of life—can touch the Holy without issue.
Of course, a normal human's aura capacity isn't enough to rewrite high-level rituals. No matter how hard Kanata tries now, he cannot rewrite the spells of monsters... unless he gained a power like the Red Dragon Emperor's Transfer, or underwent a transformation through reincarnation or a Balance Breaker.
"…Masaomi, are you Kanata's ally?"
"Of course! He is a precious friend, and I owe him more than I can ever repay. Cleria and the others feel the same."
"I've already discussed the future with Ajuka regarding you and Cleria. If you have the resolve... there are options available to you."
"Options?"
"Yes. But think carefully before you decide. Once you make this choice, there is no turning back."
Mephisto had already anticipated Masaomi's fears. Kanata believed he could only touch magic circles, but the truth was likely far more expansive. That Sacred Gear would do anything its host wished. It would discard all restraint to answer him—and that made it the most dangerous element of all.
Lovestar hopped onto Masaomi's shoulder and whispered the details of the options. Masaomi's eyes widened in shock. Lovestar simply twitched his whiskers.
"In a way, it might not be a bad choice for you. Though it comes with its own set of chains."
"That may be true... but are you sure, Lord Mephisto?"
"The thing was never really mine to begin with. If there is a chance for it to be used, then use it."
Masaomi fell into deep thought. The choice Mephisto offered would give him the power he lacked to protect what mattered. But it would change him forever.
"You still have time. For now, focus on saving your loved one."
"…You're right. Thank you."
Masaomi's expression softened as he gripped his sword. He had a final score to settle with Touji Shidou.
As Kanata ran over, happily reporting that he had found Cleria's location, the three of them set off toward the final destination.
***
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