Sister Yuika‘s handling of the situation was swift. In short order, I was sent home, playing the role of a child who had simply spent a few days playing at a friend‘s house.
Fortunately, thanks to the Sister's treatment, no scars remained on my body. Mom and Dad showered me with affection, ruffling my hair and peppering me with questions about whether I had fun and what my friend was like.
After giving them half-hearted answers and feigning exhaustion, I retreated to my room. Taking no chances, I locked both the door and the window before allowing the Rinnegan to manifest.
“Sigh... damn it. What do I do now?”
At this point, it was impossible to predict what Touko Aozaki would do to Aoko-nee.
No matter how powerful Touko was, Aoko was a Magician. Even for a Grand-rank Puppetmaster—someone capable of matching even a Crown-rank Heroic Spirit—fighting a True Magic user one-on-one should be a fool‘s errand, an impossibility.
The problem, however, was Lugh Beowulf standing at her side.
Whether the Fifth Magic could even affect that Phantasmal Species was unknown... and if Aoko did win, what would become of Touko? That was another dilemma.
“The Garden of Sinners, the Fourth Holy Grail War... damn it, there are too many threads tangled here.”
If Touko Aozaki were to disappear here, the narrative of *The Garden of Sinners* would cease to exist. The Fourth Holy Grail War would likewise face complications. And though it was a story for much later, the case files of Lord El-Melloi II would be equally affected.
“But participating in this is pure madness...”
Alice Kuonji, the landlord of Misaki City; Aoko Aozaki, the wielder of the Fifth Magic; Touko Aozaki, who held a Grand designation. Throw in Lugh Beowulf, a Phantasmal Species from the Age of Gods, and where did that leave me? A child with nothing but a pair of Mystic Eyes. If I stepped into that fray, being pulverized would be the expected outcome.
“Wait a minute.”
A sudden thought struck me.
“...True Magic, in the end, is a path leading to the Root.”
Of course, there is Magic that *is* the Root itself, and the mysterious Sixth Magic whose existence is unclear, but regardless!
There is a saying that Magic is the gate that connects to the Swirl of the Origin.
Among those, three have had their true natures clearly revealed.
The Second Magic, which observes parallel worlds. The Fifth Magic, which consumes the entropy and time of a doomed Earth to achieve something across all creation—essentially Maxwell‘s Demon manifested. And the Third Magic, the Materialization of the Soul.
But... if I think about it calmly...
“The Second is impossible for me, so it‘s out. The First, Fourth, and Sixth have never even been properly revealed. Aoko-nee is the user of the Fifth, so let‘s set that aside... But what about the Third?”
The Third Magic—the technique to materialize the soul.
In the TYPE-MOON universe, the human soul is a sort of eternal, immutable existence. However, in the material world, humans are not Phantasmal Species capable of acting as pure souls; they require a physical vessel. This is a physical law that even Heroic Spirits cannot escape, which is why they use spiritual foundations like Servants to substitute for a body.
Furthermore, as the physical body ages and decays under the passage of time, the soul—which should be immutable—also degrades, rots, and eventually meets its end. Though life can be prolonged through Magecraft, as long as the soul remains bound to human limitations, death is inevitable.
It was exactly this process that turned Zolgen, once a man of justice, into the corrupt Matou Zouken. Araya Souren followed a similar path.
...But if, just perhaps, it‘s like this.
“The abilities of Pain‘s Six Paths... the Preta Path, Animal Path, Asura Path, Deva Path, Naraka Path, and the Human Path.”
The Preta Path uses Seal Absorption. The Animal Path summons Phantasmal Species. The Asura Path transforms the body into machinery or weaponry. The Deva Path manipulates attractive and repulsive forces—a form of gravity. The Naraka Path is essentially a healer that repairs the vessels.
Finally, the Human Path. In its original context, it served as a sort of assassin.
By making contact with the head or body of a target, it possesses the power to pull out their soul. If the Human Path touches the head, it is a guaranteed kill. Even the protagonist, Naruto, nearly died when his soul was partially extracted from his torso.
...Yes. It definitely *pulled out* the soul.
All living things, including Phantasmal Species, are bound by the flesh. The only exceptions to this rule are Elementals.
However, even the creature that introduced himself as a 'Phantasmal Species' was wearing a sort of shell, a physical vessel, and clearly possessed a soul.
The Third Magic means escaping the shackles of the flesh, materializing one's own soul to enjoy eternal youth and immortality. While I cannot say the Human Path of my Rinnegan holds the full breadth of such a Mystery, I am confident that, at least regarding the 'souls of the living,' it can definitively extract them.
“So... what should I do?”
I could simply leave it to Aoko-nee and Alice-san.
Of course, that might mean Touko Aozaki dies, but honestly, in this situation, that didn't feel particularly important. My own family was on the line; what did I care about the future of Ryougi Shiki or Emiya Shirou?
Aoko-nee and Alice-san might die instead... and yes, that weighed on my heart.
Having spent two weeks with them, we had grown acquainted. Alice-san had recently shifted from overt hostility to a 'tsundere' disposition that was 99.9% 'tsun.' Moreover, Aoko-nee had already saved my life once... so even more so...
Then, should I participate in this battle to save them?
The logic was still shaky.
While I was agonizing over the decision, the sound of something striking the window echoed through the room.
Looking toward the window, I saw a ball-jointed doll shaped like a bat tapping on the glass.
A single letter was clutched in the doll‘s arm. The content was simple.
[The old school building of Misaki High. If you don't come, something fun might happen to your parents~]
*****
How I managed to walk all the way there... honestly, even I don't know.
The only thing I felt was something boiling hot bubbling in my head. Beyond that, I felt nothing at all.
By the time I arrived, covered in dirt, I reached the old building I had fled from before. In my sight were Touko Aozaki, Lugh Beowulf, and standing against them, Alice-san and Aoko-nee.
...But the outcome of the battle seemed clear.
Alice-san‘s complexion was dark and mottled, as if she had been poisoned. As for Aoko-nee, her entire body was covered in wounds.
“Hahaha! That stupid brat actually came, Touko-san... Hahahaha!!!”
The wolf cub began to bark like a rabid dog. Even Touko Aozaki raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise.
Conversely, Alice-san cried out, biting her lip like someone who had just watched an unexpected catastrophe unfold. Soujuurou-ani was supporting her, looking as if he were ready to step forward and sacrifice himself for them at any moment.
“That idiot... why did he come?!”
“Exactly~ I truly cannot understand the thought process of these insignificant humans. Family is ultimately just another group of strangers, isn't it?”
“...”
Apparently deciding that Touko alone was enough for the two injured women, the boy began to chat gleefully as he approached me. Fine. Keep coming.
Soujuurou-ani tried to move to block my path, but he stopped and eventually backed away. Yes, that‘s better, Brother. That‘s actually more helpful.
“You know, you think you‘ve become something just because you learned a bit of Magecraft? Wake up, kid. I‘ve fought far more than you, and I‘ve experienced things you couldn't even imagine.”
I know. But I am a man who has experienced things *he* couldn't even imagine.
How many people can say they‘ve died and come back to life, or reincarnated into another world?
To act with such arrogance, believing only in one‘s own strength and uniqueness—that is his fatal flaw.
“You think you‘re something because you learned Magecraft from the Witch of Fairy Tales and survived Touko-san and me once? The truth is, you‘re a nobody. Just a brat who peeked at the reverse side of the world and thought he could play with the big boys before dying like an idiot. That‘s who you are.”
The talking boy seemed to remember something as he opened his mouth again.
“Right, parents play a pretty big role for humans like you, don't they? Touko said she didn't mind if a few people died anyway... so I‘ll be taking payment for you calling me a wolf cub.”
As he spoke, Beowulf‘s human form began to shift, transforming into the shape of a golden werewolf, radiating heat like a shimmering blaze.
The pressure was immense. A golden wolf stood before me, exuding a murderous aura that felt as though it would tear me apart the instant I resisted.
It looked powerful, overflowing with majesty...
And at the same time, it was utterly off-guard.
I reached out my hand toward the wolf.
[Pfft! This kid really doesn't understand the situation. You're going to try Magecraft? With those unawakened Circuits?]
Unlike my first gamble when I met Touko Aozaki, which failed miserably, this second gamble hit the mark perfectly.
I extended my hand toward Beowulf and spoke softly.
“Deva Path—Bansho Ten‘in.”