With the proof of the rocks filled with clearly foreign Texture mana, what naturally came next was that we needed to head back down into the sewers to head down to that pathway leading to the foreign texture.
"So if the monsters are so scary down there. Then how did you get out of there haha." Kairi joked around as we left a large SUV at the turn next to the giant sewer entrance.
And I retorted flatly. "Because I came prepared for Dead Apostles and Ghouls... Not Phantasmal Beasts."
Bazette hearing our speaking called out sharply. "Quiet down... He was right though, these claw marks, scars, and scratches weren't done by a human or even a ghoul."
She was pointed out the gouges and scratches on the large concrete sloped pad where the large homeless population was supposed to be living normally. And the other four people in the group nodded to Bazzette's words.
I took a deep breath as we entered the tunnels, and after we entered the tunnels I pulled the ribbon that surrounded my head off with a soft noise of silk being removed. As I wanted to use my Six Eye's at its full effect.
Soon enough we reached that same warded, blocked off area and seeing it. The enforcers had dark expressions. "The Calypso family has some... Very pressing question waiting for them. As this is exactly their work, only a Calypso family member would have this skill in bounded Fields, and the fact that it uses their family insignia and literal magical signature?"
The nameless male enforcer who said that shook his head as Kairi said rather bluntly. "Should the Association think that they are trying to taint the Human Order with a false Texture, then being given Sealing Designations is the least of their worries. More likely they will be slaughtered."
I, however had a much more pressing point as the large blockage was moved out of the way and I shivered again at feeling the mana from ages long past and far thicker than the mana of the Human Order leaking across my form.
"Beyond the how of they did this in making a tunnel like the Tombs of Albion towards the Reverse Side of the World. The real question is why in the world would they do this knowing the Mage's Association will come down on them?" I added.
At that, the group of enforcers paused and then Kairi looked towards one of the cloaked nameless enforcers and said darkly. "He has a point. Lemuss, get back to the surface and sound the alarm as we can't handle this beyond scouting it out."
The enforcer gave a grunt of agreement and I watched as his cloak-covered form silently glided across the rough concrete as he left before Bazette spoke firmly. "How far into these tunnels did you go, Jake?"
"Literally like... A hundred yards at most. Then I was attacked by a phantasmal creature-" My speaking was silenced as a loud scratching noise rang out down the tunnel.
'Oh fuck.' I thought as a dozen bright red eyes appeared from the heavily sloped tunnel. "Reversal Red!" I hissed as a thumb-sized red orb formed on the tip of my pointing finger.
A loud rumble rang out as the red orb shot forward with powerful force, and as the red orb brought light to the monsters below. I watched in horror as the half dozen monsters were all serpent-like monsters with draconic heads and human skin instead of scales.
'What the fuck is that?' I thought with utter horror as the leading monster blew a blinding mist of purple mist that had to be poison or something. And the mist turned to a literal magical barrier made of separate sections.
The Reversal Red broke through the barrier without any issue, but then the others also made their own barriers... And then stacked the barriers a dozen thick times sixe by all six of the monsters.
The spell broke through more than a dozen barriers but then it lost its power after breaking through the magical barriers, and all the while. The monsters hissing made their murderous intentions all too clear as they came closer.
Lightning spells was shot down at the monsters from the other un-named enforcer, and Kairi was shooting his double-barrel shotgun quickly with enchanted cursed rounds that also broke on the barriers the monsters conjured up.
Meanwhile, Bazett using a great amount of reinforcement, grunted as she pushed the large metal barrier back into place to block off the tunnel even as Tamamo whispered to me mentally. "You need to leave! Those monsters have hints of draconic blood and are extremely magic resistant!"
With that warning I shouted out. "That won't block them! The ward's are dimming!" And I turned on my heel and ran down the sewerway before I heard the boot's of Kairi as he caught onto my words and fucking booked it.
And as soon as I got moving I used Reinforcment with the aid of my Six Eye's to run as fucking fast as I could with the aid of the reinforcement allowing me to react to all the turns and small bits of debris scattered around the dry sewer way.
A few moments later, even as I heard the other enforcer and Bazette following behind as well. I could hear a mighty crashing noise followed by a furious symphony of angry hissing as the sounds of lightning rang out as the Calypso family's wards gave one last strike to the monsters.
'A wendigo monster, and now this serpent monster? Where the hell is these monsters coming from? This has to lead to a particular part of the Reverse Side of the World!' I thought as I skidded across some dirt and then charged down a turn as I was almost out of the sewers.
A scream rang out behind us and I realized it was that enforcer and as I took another turn I saw the monsters had clearly slowed down to tear that poor bastard apart and as the three of us charged out of the sewers.
I didn't give a shit about the secrecy of magic as I created a large powerful Lapse Blue and shot it into the sewer entrace making a loud rumble ring out as the sewer entrance collapsed with a loud rumble of shattered concrete and dust that blasted back at us.
My breath came out in heavy breaths as I hadn't used Reinforcement to enhance my physical body for that long in my life... And there was a heavy moment of silence as the three of us looked at the collapsed pile of concrete and rebar rubble waiting for a reaction.
But not seeing anything for a long minute, Kairi spoke harshly. "We need to get with Lemuss, he should still be around here as he just had to make the phone call."
And his words were prophetic as the other cloak-wearing enforcer popped around the alley leading down to the culvert that led to the large destroyed sewer entrance. Then I felt a wave of mana wash over my form with Tamamo whispering to me. "It's a bounded field. Don't worry, it's too rudimentary to pick up my presence."
I nodded but Lemuss prevented me from replying mentally as he called out coldly. "The Policies are sending a heavy combat squad from London, which will be here in four hours. Lord McDonell Trambelio Elrod will also be leading the party."
My eyes widened hearing that. As McDonell Trambelio Elrod was the lord of the Trambelio family, and head of the Department of General Fundamentals branch within the Clocktower, which was ranked first in the Clocktower due to how the vast majority of people began their career at the clock tower in that department.
With the man being known as a master of close-range combat and having earned his lordship through brutality, using his mastery over the wind and fire elements.
We all looked towards the collapsed tunnel and I asked the pressing question bluntly. "And if the monster's break out of the sewers, and they engage the populace?"
Kairi scoffed and said rather darkly. "Won't be much of an engagement... More of a slaughter, and frankly there isn't much we can directly do unless we can split up the monsters and attack them from all angles."
And then Bazzett added blandly. "And assuming our modern magecraft doesn't just wash over their bodies that are filled with Mystery."
I brushed a hand across my face and I thought idly. 'You know what... Maybe dealing with the grail war could be less complicated than this nonsense. At least I know all the threats involved.'
Taking a breath, I looked to the magi surrounding me and I asked. "Can any of you set-up a bounded field to isolate sound and deter the normal people. Collapsing this sewer line was very loud and will likely bring the police in and more in the next few minutes."
The magi shared a look before Lemuss spoke with a grunt. "Altrosa, the guy you left behind was this team's bound field expert."
My face twitched at that as I couldn't exactly save that guy when my Reversal Red was repelled by their magical barriers... Maybe a Hollow Purple could have done something. But I wanted to keep that close to my chest, not to mention I had a suspicion that a couple dozen barriers also could block or divert it at the least.
'Tamamo, can you do this?' I asked mentally and I could hear the smug pride in Tamamo's voice as she retorted.
"Of course I can! Any Caster who isn't a weirdo can easily do such a simple thing!'
"Then can I set up the bounded field? I don't want to step on the toes of Policies and the enforcers coming." I asked the rest of the magi as I wasn't going to show off Tamamo unless it was an emergency.
Kairi grunted before shrugging and saying with some amusement. "Heh, with how you found that Calypso bounded field and the bounded fields around your own hotel room, I knew you had some talents in the field. Go on ahead then." He finished with a firm tone.
I hopped up the concrete wall and then called out firmly down to the magi. "Good, then I am going to set it up, so give me some peace to do so."
I headed over to a nearby alleyway, and as we entered the alleyway, Tamamo turned material as she exited her spirit form and she knowing what I wanted. Spoke briskly but still with her usual cheer. "Alright darling! You keep everyone away and fill me up with mana and I will put down a quick bounded field to keep the mundane away!"
Tamamo threw out some paper charms and ofuda and I watched as they flew into the air and formed a five point seal with Tamamo holding another charm in her hand that burned with blue fire as alongside the other five ofuda which manifested manifestations of the five classical elements.
The revolving array of ofuda spun around, then twisted in the air as Tamamo muttered under her breath and then the array landed on the ground and I felt a wave of mana wash over my form, not entering it. Merely washing over it.
And with that done Tamamo bounced over, with her breasts literally bouncing in her ornate very low cut dress as she spoke smugly. "See! I did it so quickly so praise me as no mundane will approach the area as their minds make up excuses as to why they need to leave!"
I nodded and Tamamo blinked in suprise as I patted her head between her fox ears and then she flushed as I said gently. "Good job Tamamo, I would be in alot of trouble without your help."
Tamamo just stared at me before a small flush entered her cheeks and she turned away with her tail facing me... And that tail was swishing back and forth adorably as Tamamo covered her face and made a high pitch noise before she audibly took a deep breath.
Then Tamamo turned around with her 'normal' expression but there was no hiding the heat in her gaze as she spoke. "Well yes... Your words are totally right haha! Now you get back to your friends, I am going to astralize so I don't use anymore of your mana!"
The fox woman just broke apart back into ether particles as she took back on her spirt form and I just inhaled before shaking my head as Tamamo's antics.
'Alright, time to head on back.' I thought heading back to where the collapsed alleyway was, only to see Kairi was there with Lemmuss, and Bazett having left somewhere?
"Where are the other two?" I asked curiously with Kairi shrugging and replying calmly.
"Ehh, both said they were going to look for other major sewer entrances and close them up if they can find them. Not much they can do for all the drainage grates and such though."
I grimaced at the thought of trying to secure the no-doubt many thousand such grates and entrances to the cities sewage and water control system.
Kairi and myself went deathly still as we heard a soft rumble ring out and the large concrete platforms in front of the collapsed sewer violently shifted before collapsing back to where they were.
We both watched the destroyed entrance before we both exhaled with Kairi speaking very quietly. "They shoudn't be coming out the surface... It just doesn't make any sense."
After a moment of thought, I spoke quietly to myself. "Is it possible, that even as that foreign texture's mana leaked into the area. For god knows how long they have been around in those tunnels, could they have acclimated to Gaia's influence? Or are you just actively resisting her repulsion?"
Kairi shook his head and said bluntly. "Those are true born Phantasmal Creatures, low ranked ones for sure. But they do not belong in the Human Order and Gaia should be passively banishing back to the Reverse Side of the World."
We were both silent for a moment before I spoke wryly. "So... Any chance I can bounce on out of here? I don't wanna be here when-"
Kairi cut me off as he flicked open a lighter loudly and lit up a cigarette before he spoke. "I sure as shit woudn't. At least not till Lord Trambelio gets here. He is going to have questions for you newbie, and you don't want him pissed at you when you skip town and he is left with those... Pressing questions."
'That sounds rather threatening.' I thought wryly before I just shrugged and sat down on the edge of the culvert. As it was likely I was fucking stuck here for the next few hours doing guard duty apparently.
So with nothing else to do, I just took off my backpack to get the book I managed to find on Celtic myths and the Shadow Lands of Dun-Scath as I still had plans to go on that dream walk/transmigration bullshit to go get some shadow demons to act as the core of the totems that I was going to build for the class project.
'Messing around with the Lands of Shadows is a foolish idea... That witch is still there after all!' Tamamo whispered to me mentally, making my lips twitch.
I shrugged slightly and then I sent back mentally. 'I want to get stronger. And making the familiar totem I want to, will greatly enhance my physical body... Meeting the god killer is just something I have to be very careful not to do.'
There was a silence and then Tamamo said firmly. 'I won't be able to go along with this spiritual journey you know? I won't be able to help you beyond keeping your physical body safe."
'I will entrust my body to you then Tamamo.' I said shamelessly and I could feel the fox woman's worried glare landing on my form as I kept reading. As I wanted to know everything I was going to need to know.
Thankfully, besides Kairi shifting every once in a while, nothing else happened besides Lemuss and Bazzet coming back to stand guard silently as well, which was a perfect sign that nothing else had happened.
But with Tamamo soothed at least temporarily I went back to my reading as I knew all to well that this project was... Extremely dangerous for us to be attempting obviously. Myself and another one of those twins would be soul walking in a dream bodies into the Land of Shadows.
And then using our dream/soul bodies. We would wrangle some shadow demons into some totems we would be bringing with on our journey, and if we were lucky. The other twin back in reality would be able to guide back our souls.
With my Six Eye's and my element of space and Origin of Limitless, I was sure I would be able to get there... The question was whether I would be able to get back if the dead god's demon's and Scathach herself didn't tear me and that other twin apart down to own souls.
In that theme of my Origin of Limitless, I searched within myself and found my Blue Blood quality Magical Circuits and wondered if my Limitless Origin could allow me to permanently transform my own nerves into high quality circuits as well?
Obviously I would only be able to use redundant nerves in the body for that... But honestly I don't think I even need to make more circuits I can channel more than enough mana through them.
The biggest issue I was facing was my body's ability to create Odd, or magical lifeforce that would then be converted into prana/mana that would then be used in my spells. My bodies already well above, but still far from the peak of Odd production was the reason I had some difficulty previously dealing with the mana drain Tamamo inflicted me with her teleport.
'Hmm, there are a few ways to strengthen my Odd... Strengthening my body, most importantly, then there are methods like taking in inhuman blood so that the mystery and stronger blood would enhance my Od generation.' I mused before I thought of less tasteful and dangerous methods.
First was growing out my hair, as a person's hair was a literal perfect conduit for a person's magic, hence it could be used to store a person's mana and be used for powerful quick spells using the hair as a sacrifice. Like how Illya and Irisveil used their hair to make powerful familiar's instantly.
Then there was the more dangerous methods... Like forming a Dantian or magical core in the western or eastern magical point of view. Where similar to a dragon core, it would greatly improve my Od production and enhance my body naturally even if it was extremely dangerous and difficult to form.
Lastly was something I didn't even want to contemplate for quick but very thorough power growth. Taking Vow's, like the vow's that Cú Chulainn took.
Though... There would be a funny poetic justice in me being Gojo Satoru-lite in Fate, taking on an extremely powerful Vow/Heavenly Restriction to make myself the physical equal of Toji.
"Hmm..." I hummed in thought as I considered the thought. 'Actually, maybe I could take such a vow to gain strength. But I would need to be extremely careful in the Vow being made.' I mused.
-
A couple of hours later, Lemuss's own phone rang out and he answered it quickly and spoke quietly, but with my Six-Eye's reading his lips. I put together, him telling the other person on the line where we were.
Then he quickly hung up and spoke firmly while I was beyond done being under the Nevada sun even if it was the late afternoon and entering night time.
"Lord Trambelio and his entourage will be here in the next five minutes. Jake, you get ready for his questions, and we need to get to work cleaning out the entrance to the sewers."
I grunted in agreement and then I kicked myself off the ground with some reinforcement and then I came down into the drainage area and walked over to the collapsed and otherwise destroyed sewer entrance.
"You guy's got a way to move this debris... Or do we got to do this manually or I have a violent spell to move alot of debris if need be once Lord Trambelio get's here."
The three magi enforcers shared a look before Bazett said calmly. "We wait for Lord Trambelio, I rather we not get the attention of some monster without a Lord who should be powerful enough to break through their magic resistence."
Even though Lemuss tensed a bit, he didn't refute Bazett and thus we just waited for the next couple of minutes until I heard Tamamo whisper. 'Here they come Jake.'
Three dozen people all wearing covering cloaks and the weird highly ornate robes and clothes magi typically wore strode onto our site and in an instant I recongized Lord McDonell Trambelio Elrod striding in.
He was a large man, easy six and a half feet tall with long blond hair trainling down his back and down in a slight knot. Not only that but he was clearly armed and ready for combat as he had two mystic codes in metal gauntlets that were covered in gems filled with mana, and alongside glowing runes of power.
His golden eye's took in the still collapsed sewer and he called out calmly. "Get that entrance unblocked now." Then he looked to me and I could feel his assessing gaze before he ordered. "Jake Bariss, come up here. I have much to hear."
I nodded and walked past the three dozen other magi that began using magecraft and even just reinforcement to quickly begin moving the rubble and as I got over to Lord Trambelio. He said simply. "Take a moment to collect your thoughts, then report all of your movements and findings from start to finish."
'That's certainly a way to gather information.' I thought before I took a breath and began explaining.
First starting off with how I landed here and quickly found out that the massive missing homeless population was indeed slaughtered leaving zero survivors or witnesses, with some of the homeless being taken alive into the tunnels. Then I explained the layout of the sewers, telling the lord which way it was to the tunnel leading to the other Texture.
Next I explained my very brief entry into the tunnel and glossed over my conflict with the skinwalker/Wendigo monster and then afterwards my 'investigation' of Vegas's surrounding area where I found that even semi precious stones like obsidian and cat's eye that was usually too shit to really hold mana, was infected with the foreign texture's mana.
Which meant that the entire underground within at least the next couple hundred miles surrounding Las Vegas was obviously tainted by the leaking foreign Texture.
Lastly I explained the last trip into the sewer's where we didn't even get to enter the tunnels before monsters came for us and attacked us.
Lord Trambelio was silent and only listened to my explanation until I finished telling my entire explanation and once done, he said simply. "I understand... Return to the other enforcers."
My lips twitched as I expected to be grilled on a bunch of things but Lord Trambelio just strode down into the culvert alongside the other magi and at this point the debris was basically removed and as the men kept removing more debris.
I could feel a pressure fall on my shoulders and I looked into the collapsed tunnel... And then I pulled off my silk bandages around my eye's with a scowl even as Tamamo whispered. 'There is a predator watching you.'
Low and behold... I saw a fucking massive geeko like creature with crystal's cross it's body that was 'invsible' to normal sight, but I could see magic itself in it's most primal state with my six eye's.
"Lord Trambelio! Big monster waiting just past the rubble to jump us!" I called out hurriedly as I saw some of the magi getting ready to go into the sewer like the worst kind of cave diver.
The lord paused and I saw his gauntlet's glow before he snapped his fist forward in a blur of speed that I coudn't follow and then a beach ball sized hole punched through the air as the air was displaced as his used his mastery of wind magic to attack.
A shriek rang out as the massive four meter tall chameleon had a hole punched through it's lower chest as Lord Trambelio obviously coudn't see it like I could.
And seeing caustic steaming and glowing green blood splatter everywhere, Trambelio sent a series of quick jabs at blinding speed that in but half a second made a dozen more large holes in the monster.
Then he paused, going still as his piercing eye's stared ahead with a slight scowl crossing his face as I called out seeing the monster collapse. "It's collapsed!"
Then I blinked seeing the inherent magic leaving the monster's form with it becoming visible to all with Lord Trambelio ordering. "Use the dragon tooth chains to drag it out of the way."
Another magi threw down the huge suitcase he was carrying and I raised an eyebrow in interest as I watched the magi use his magecraft to animate a dozen chains that had draconic heads at the ends of the chains that then shot forward and bit into the monster's flesh and quickly dragged it out of the tunnel's.
"Shit... Imagine that big bastard getting in our way when we were running for our lives." Kairi spoke with dark humour making my lips twitch at the thought of how fucking screwed we would have been.
Especially Kairi and Bazett who had no way to see the monster like I could.
Lord Trambelio after a moment of thought grunted and called out. "Jake come here." I came over to the imposing man who didn't look happy and he grunted out. "You are a new enforcer... You are untested and especially unproven, but this is a special situation. Follow directly behind me and tell me if you see anything odd."
Even as he said that, I could tell he was all too aware of my Mystic Eye's so I just nodded and he gave me a single dip of the nod in respect at me for not bitching out.
"Kairi, Bazett you are behind Jake, keep him alive so no more invisible monsters sneak up on us." He then ordered several more magi to seal the area and then the other's to follow us at a distance so we didn't run into one another should issue's come up.
Then with that, we headed down into the dark tunnel. Which was fucking stupid... As really, when a dark tunnel is literally filled with monsters, why the hell would you go into it?
But I followed behind Lord Trambelio and as we came into the sewer's we had to side step all the boiling acid blood from the lizard monster that Trambelio killed.
Then as we hit our first intersection, one of those human skin covered serpents began rushing towards us and Trambelio send several wind spells into it and his speed of sending the invisible and deadly wind spells was enough to catch the monster by suprise and kill it.
"Those things can create barriers to block spells as well from their poison mist." I warned Trambelio who simply nodded with us headed deeper into the sewers, and with my warning, the moment we saw another two of the serpents, he sent even more powerful and faster wind blades that cut them into chunks.
No, it wasn't just a single wind blade... It was like a hundred wind spells at once in a gride that turned the monster into just tiny cubes of meat.
'Now that's a spell for dealing with a dead apostles regneration.' I mused as I also noted how Lord Trambelio wasn't using his also famous fire magic. But that also made perfect sense with how... We were literally underground.
Lord Trambelio killed another two more of those snake like monsters by the time we made our way to the tunnel and as we got there. I could see how Lord Trambelio looked down the rougher tunnel with a scowl.
"Our magecraft will be suppressed by the Age of God's stronger mana, not to mention the constant drain on our own mana and life by the overly dense mana." He said darkly.
I was silent for a moment before I asked rather bluntly. "So... We going to block this off?"
And Lord Trambelio gave a snort and retorted blandly. "A bandage to a plague. We must find more information and then-"
He was silenced and so was I as soft scratching rang out down the tunnel and then I wanted to scream how this was just bullshit. As dozen's of glowing red eye's broke through the darkness and I saw a literal line of those Wendigo monsters coming our way.
I held up finger and at the tip came swirling blue and red magical energy that became purple and draining a good bit of mana. I then wordlessly shot a powerful fist-sized Hollow Purple forward. And then from the column of monsters came a massive looming shadow that broke past the other wendigos.
The form was of shadows, with it's joints of gleaming bones and seemingly solid darkness wafting from it's hunched over form.
My Hollow Purple shot towards the lead of the monsters and that monster slammed a fist into the Hollow Purple. And I watched in horror as the monster grabbed the hollow purple, and broke it in it's fist creating a powerful explosion of spatial energy that pushed it back.
"A Divine Beast." Lord Trambelio spoke in muted horror and worse some level of acceptance of how totally fucked we were.
The monster chuckled deeply and the mana-filled stone beneath it's feet cracked as it strode purposefully towards us. Then the air became blindingly bright and then a wave of heat hit my jank version of Limitless with my form slamming into the ground a dozen meters backwards.
As Lord Trambelio created an extremely powerful and condensed explosive under the ground.
"Seal the city! Have Policies purge the Calypso family!" Lord Trambelio roared out as he collapsed the ceiling of the sewers down onto us. And I felt Tamamo grab my shoulder as she left her astral state and then before I could react her ofuda's swirled around us and teleported us away.
"That damned Magi! He dares to mess with my master!" Tamamo hissed furiously as I pulled at the thick mana in the air before we both jolted as the ground beneath us rumbled powerfully.
And then seeing as Tamamo had teleported us back a good way's away from the original sewer entrance I groaned and I said tiredly. "I gotta tell the other magi, Trambelio's orders... Go back to your Astral state."
Tamamo gave me a long look before sighing and muttering. "You shoudn't be getting more involved in this... This is getting outlandish honestly."
And wasn't that the damned truth.
But I quickly made my way to the other magi and relayed Trambelio's orders and as I did so, I saw a couple of the other magi just now getting out of the sewers and likewise, them calling out to the leading magi to do the same as they had heard Trambelio's orders as well.
With that though, there was a major issue now. With Lord Trambelio MIA or very possibly dead, we didn't have a leader or command structure. And the other Magi knew that was the case even with them all being enforcers/mercs so one of the Policies enforcers called out.
"Non Policy branch enforcers are to clear out now! This is now a site which will be sealed to the highest level of bounded fields!"
I was... Very surprised to hear that obviously, so I called out back to the guy who was clearly someone of note in the Policies department. "Like, we just head back to the Clocktower? Or just clear the site and await for a misson?"
The Policy member just gave me a dull stare and I just met his stare evenly before he said clearly for all to hear. "Leave, the city maybe condemned as I must report to the Lord's of the Clock Tower."
'Uh oh... Sounds like when a massive dead apostle uprising happens in a town, and they need to wipe it off the earth.' I thought and then Tamamo spoke to me mentally.
'Master, I can teleport us back to London if you are willing. But we need to leave the city before they lock it down with hundreds of bounded fields and begin purging the local magi for being involved in this mess." She spoke with clear warning for me to get moving.
After a moment I grunted in agreement. Sure, this left a bad taste in my mouth at not seeing the end of this massive mess. But I had already completed the mission of checking for ghouls and dead apostles. Now I had to get back to London to get my payment.
'I hope Kairi and Bazett didn't die.' I thought with a sigh before I made my way towards the alleyway where Tamamo had her seals and I called out. "Alright Tamamo, pick up your bounded field and let's get out of here."
The fox girl then pulled her bound field up and after getting rid of that one, Tamamo took a deep breath before she sent out dozens of ofuda that surrounded and began glowing. "Alright darling, this will take a minute. But in giving me the time to properly set up the spatial coordinates and other important bits. I don't need to completely drain all your mana haha!"
I stood a bit closer to Tamamo as the ofuda's escaping from her sleeves swirled around us with more and more charms before the surroundings became dark as the number of paper charms blocked out the electrical alley light that was surrounding us.
And I could feel that Tamamo was draining a good bit of my mana in doing this, but she was right in that this much more measured and carefully directed teleportation wasn't nearly as mana draining compared to Tamamo basically just spatially ripping us from one place to another.
Either way, the teleportation itself was smooth sailing even if I was a bit weirded out as I saw the void surrounding us past the charm's protection with my Six Eye's. And as the charms faded away, and the early morning light of the UK's cloudy sky hit my eye's I had a thought.
'I seriously shoudn't be staring into the literal void between dimensions with my Six Eyes... Eldritch god's and monsters are very much a real thing and something be afraid of.' I mused.
"Ok! Now I bet you are ready for some sleep huh?" Tamamo asked with some care and I nodded tiredly admittedly.
"To say the least, I have had a very rough last couple of days. So yeah, I am heading straight back to my dorm and going to sleep." I announced as seeing a divine beast or great spirit in that monstrous Wendigo was undoubtedly going to haunt my dreams.
Tamamo then astralized leaving me alone and with a sigh I made my way back into the Clock Tower, going through all the security checks and whatnot before I headed straight to my dorm. I didn't go meet with my teacher Waver Velvet/El-Melloi or anyone else.
Nope, as soon as I got to my dorm room I stripped down and put on some shorts before washing my face and then within half a minute I was face down on my bed. My face buried in the thick pillow and I felt the overwhelming stress of the day properly wash over myself.
'I was about to die to that divine beast.' I thought in bland irony. It literally crushed a half power hollow purple I created within it's bare fucking hands and the explosion of raging spatial magic only pushed it back.
And Lord Trambelio's elemental magic just washed over its magical resistance as well. Hell, that beast was a literal divine creature. Some kind of powerful spirit and even with a wide area for Tamamo to properly fight in.
That creature undoubtedly would overpower her until she started nuking it with a noble phantasm or two.
I rolled over on my bed and I stared up at the ceiling with my gaze filled with a weight as that... Fucking monster was a reminder that even with Tamamo, this world was well beyond my ability to bend over and overpower.
I may have had Gojo's cheat eye's and a powerful talent for spatial magic and such. But with my Origin being Limitless, I needed to buckle down and gain strength before I did that spirit journey.
"Tamamo," I whispered softly and there was a pause, then the fox woman left her Astral form and gave me an inquisitive look before she asked with some curiosity.
"What's on your mind, my master?"
And I took a breath before I asked bluntly. "I am going to have nightmares about that divine beast we ran into... Can you please wake me up before I get too deep into them if you, yourself aren't going to sleep."
There was a pause before Tamamo smiled and then giggled. "Aww my master is so adorable. But yes, this Tamamo can definitely do that for you. Now go to sleep my darling master. As I shall make sure your dreams are as tranquil as a cloudless night."
I closed my eye's and then I paused as Tamamo crawled into the bed, obviously, and as I went to open my eye's she whispered softly. "Shhh. Rest your beautiful eyes. Relax your mind and let go... Drift away to the sounds of my heartbeat."
And I did as she said. Taking a deep breath, I exhaled softly with Tamamo shifting ever so slightly so that she became the big spoon in hugging my head to her very soft chest and in doing so. I realized something.
'Oh... Tamamo has latched onto me and has fallen in love with me, with how she has been calling me darling.' I thought before my mind couldn't connect any more thoughts and I just drifted off into sleep.
-
I was swiftly awoken by the arms around my head tightening as harsh... If not brutally loud knocking rang out powerfully across my door.
"The hell? Who the fuck is banging on my door like that?." I growled as I got up and with moment of thought I threw on a shirt at least before I shook my head as I saw Tamamo pouting as she sat on the edge of my bed with her having changed magically at some point into a silk nighty that left... Very little to the imagination.
But I shook the sight away as I went to the door and with some reinforcement active as soon as more violent knocking rang out I pulled the door open with a scowl. And as soon as I opened the door I stepped back as the large homunclus's fist passed where I was.
The large homunclus was like eight feet tall and having a blockish like head and an overly muscular body, but I was more focused on the 'people' in a man and a woman who were standing behind that homunculus with cold expressions.
"Are you Jake Bariss?" One of the men asked bluntly and I kept my scowl all to damned clear as I said flatly.
"That is correct. What do you want."
The man then said calmly. "You have been called to stand as witness and provide testimony for the breach of Las Vegas incident seeing as you have somehow returned back to London through clearly magical means."
I stared at the two men and after a moment I said as clear as a fucking bell being rung in their ears. "Yeah no, go fuck yourselves. If you want me to go anywhere, I want the signature of the Vice Director, I may be new to the Clock Tower and Magi culture. But I know the death sentence or worse it is, to go alongside some random un-named stooges into some random depths in the Clock Tower."
The door was slammed shut in their faces and then I slapped the ward system's activation charm to with a large glowing seal appearing over the door before fading from view as I heard the two assholes saying muffled that their were agents of some lord or another.
And seeing as it wasn't Lord Barthomelloi, the Wizard Marshall who was the only true person to have the right to order all other mages around. And seeing as I wasn't part of any other faction like the Aristocratic, Democratic, or the Neutral faction. I answered to almost no one.
"So you coming back to bed?" Tamamo asked teasingly with her tail swishing before her slowly and after dully staring at the beautiful woman I spoke in a matter of fact tone.
"Where else would I be?" And Tamamo just giggled as I climbed back into bed and this time I just properly embraced her even if I went right back to face planting right back into those fantastic tits.
And as Tamamo likewise wrapped her arms around my head with her leg going over my side I just relaxed as much as I could.
I went back to sleep soon enough for another few hours or something until Tamamo gently awoke me as she spoke kindly. "Darling, there is a real Policy's agent outside the door now."
Sighing into those fantastic and wonderful tits, I said with some tiredness. "Alright, I need to get dressed."
I got up and then Tamamo giggled as she bounced up to her feet. And I felt her draining a tiny bit of my mana to refill her own stores as she had been physcially manifested for the last few hours.
"So! Want me to come with you openly? I think that with how you so clearly teleported back here to London, showing me off is much better then having these people you somehow have the ability to teleport so casually!" Tamamo spoke rather wisely.
And after a moment of thought. I slowly nodded. "Yeah... Tamamo that would be for the best I think as well. Alright, time to make Waver pissed that I can casually support a Servant." I spoke more to myself with a wry smile.
With Tamamo giggling with some smug evil crossing her face as I had already told her about my magecraft teacher who was the master of Iskandar.
With some nicer clothes thrown on, I turned off the ward system with the ward's visibly retracting to anyone's few and then I opened the door with my reinforcement active in case someone was waiting with like a trap or something.
But no, it was an asian woman with a cool expression and I recongized her as one of the higher ups in the Policies division who was involved in one of the events of Waver's shenagins during his Case Files series.
Even though I honestly coudn't recall her name in either case.
"Jake Bariss I presume?" The woman spoke before her expression tightened seeing Tamamo behind me in her more regal outfit but also she also oh so clearly caught her very promiment tails and fox ears.
And with only an even smile I spoke calmly. "Proof of you being Policies?"
The woman snapped back to attention and raised an eyebrow before saying in amuesment. "Would anyone dare to claim to be part of the department if they weren't?"
And without missing a beat, I answered with my smile widening a tad. "I woudn't know, I am a first generation Magi and I would rather not be expermented upon by someone pretending to have authority."
The asian woman gave me a wane smile in turn before she reached into her large sleeve and brought out a badge that had the mark of the Policies branch similar to the coin/medalion I was given that allowed me entry into the Spiritual Evocation deparment, and I could feel the magic from the badge.
"Will this suffice?" She asked calmly and I nodded and then asked more respectfully.
"I assume you want to know what happened in Las Vegas correct?" At her nod I went to speak but she cut me off, but not rudely but with a hand.
"I apologize... But you have been called to the Vice-Director's office to explain, seeing as the city has been locked down and new's has been sparse and jumbled but all of the sources mark you having been there since the start."
I nodded as I honestly expected this to be the case, as should I have run into a dead apostle anscestor or something similar. I would had to meet with the Vice Director as well to give a verbal report.
"Very well, lets get going then." I spoke with Tamamo following behind me and seeing us both coming, the woman raised an eyebrow and said blandly.
"The call was for yourself Jake. Not your... Inhuman companion."
And without missing a beat I said calmly. "Either she comes with me openly, or she comes with me in her astral form as she is a Servant."
I saw the woman's eye's tighten on Tamamo's form at my admittance and with her clearly being an intelligant woman. I could see her eye's fill in the blanks on 'Who' Tamamo was from her tails and ears.
But regardless I just put my hands in my pockets and said calmly. "Well, please lead on miss Policies agent."
And she smiled thinly before nodding and turning on her high heels and walked towards the end of the dorm in which I followed behind her with Tamamo somehow naturally linking arms with me elegantly and matching my stride.
For better or worse, I didn't see anyone from Waver's class as I made my way through the Clock Tower, but worse. I saw Bram Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri the head of the Spiritual Evocation department walking alongside Rocco Belfeban the head of the Summoning subdepartment.
And both of men's gaze fell on myself and Tamamo before widening as we made our way into Policies department and I could tell it was only the fact that this woman was leading us into the policy department that they didn't charge over to us.
But still, a large number of people raised eyebrows at the sight of Tamamo's clear inhuman nature though it wasn't entirely unusual as many heirs and mages had familiars or magical constructs following them around which could be seen sometimes.
A couple minutes of walking through the ornate but painfully orderly department of Policies we reached a large set of double doors and the Policies woman turned to me and said firmly. "Wait here, I will see if you are able to meet with the Vice Director."
The woman then went on and I just stood there casually even as I looked past my silk bindings around my eye's to see the wards and bounded fields that layered around us in a deadly matrix that even Tamamo had to respect.
Then a couple of minutes later that woman came back and she said firmly. "The Vice Director will see you now. Make sure to mind your manners and be respectful." She reminded me and then without another word she stalked off past us leaving the set of double doors ajar.
I took a deep breath as I didn't think I would be seeing the Vice Director without having killed a Dead Apostle or something. But regardless, I pushed open the door with Tamamo walking in behind me and I saw the next room was a waiting room and sitting next to another set of double doors was a homunculus humanoid that was clearly waiting for me.
"Jake Bariss, Lady Barthomelloi is waiting for you. Go on in." The homunculus spoke in a formal but very dull tone.
I nodded and I pulled open the doors leading into the office of Lorelei Barthomeloi who was sitting at a large ornate and clearly very old if not well taken care of desk.
Lorelei Barthomeloi was a brunet with a rather petite figure, but there was no denying the aristrocratic beauty she had even if it was largely hidden with her extremely stern expression.
"Jake Bariss, first generation mage, and student of Lord Lord El-Melloi II?" She stated more than asked so I simply nodded and she took a breath before asking bluntly.
"I do not have time to be asking dozen's of questions, so tell me everything you saw, and any points of interest you saw in Las Vegas."
And so once again I explained everything I saw in Las Vegas but this time... Obviously I included the new monsters and even the Divine Beast we encountered in the tunnel leading out of the tunnel leading into the foreign Texture.
Lastly I once again relayed Lord Trambelio's orderes word for word before I said I made my way back to london and just went to sleep to recover after the previous day.
Lorelei shifted slightly before she took a breath and looked at Tamamo and then me before she spoke calmly. "You yourself are a new magi, so I understand you didn't have the capabilities to deal with a Divine Beast. But your companion... She is a Servant, is she merely a decoration? Why did she not deal with the Divine Beast?"
My lips twitched at that before I said calmly but with clear rejection. "My Servant coudn't do much when Lord Trambelio decided the best move was to cast an A-rank fire spell into the ceiling to collapse the entire underground on us."
Lorelei raised an eyebrow before she tilted her head and said slowly. "That... Is a fair explanation. Very well, then in anycase. Your mission in investigating for Ghouls or a possible Dead Apostle has been complete. And your payment is ready at the bounty board with an extra complications pay bump being added."
Then she took a breath and continued. "Besides that, I also should say that you. You yourself are responsible for whatever your Servant does here in the Clocktower. The same rule for any mage and their own familiar, you understand?"
"Crystal clear, Vice Director." I said firmly.
"Then go back to recovering. I have all the information I need." She dismissed me and without another word I left the Vice Director's office without smoozing up or anything.
After successfuly leaving the Policies department and not getting lynched or anything... I decided to go see Waver Velvet. I wanted to tell him I was back after the last couple of days, and that I would be at his lessons tomorrow.
Also to clear up any confusion or issues with Tamamo who was clearly going to attend classes with me obviously.