Chapter 1232: Nangong Noyu Blocking the Way
Four years ago.
The magical criminal known as Narcissus secretly infiltrated Itogami Island.
Both the Itogami Island Council and the chairman of the Artificial Island Management Corporation issued orders to capture him as quickly as possible.
Dead or alive.
The threat he posed was too great—keeping him alive meant no one knew if they'd wake up to find their position as ruler stolen.
But no matter how hard they searched, the boy known as Narcissus never revealed his tracks.
That was only natural.
Anyone who saw him would actively help cover his trail.
Avoiding surveillance cameras, no matter how skilled they were, it was nearly impossible to find Narcissus slithering through the night like a snake.
Until a fire broke out at a place called Adirade Monastery.
Everyone, including the head nun Nina, perished in that fire—except for two children: Kanon Kanase and Eiji.
This was an unexpected accident, a scheme orchestrated by the Sage himself.
The investigation revealed that Kanon Kanase had unconsciously used her immense spiritual power to extinguish the fire and rescue Eiji.
The investigator at the time was Nangong Noyu.
The incident involved incredibly formidable figures like the Sage and the strongest alchemist.
As a result of that incident:
Kanon Kanase was adopted by Kanase Kensho.
Nina took over the Sage's body, transforming from a human into a metallic lifeform.
Narcissus was exposed due to an accident.
The legendary magical criminal capable of overthrowing a nation's government turned out to be a mere kid, making Nangong Noyu burst into laughter.
Though the kid had done nothing wrong, everyone persecuted him.
Nangong Noyu overruled all objections and took the boy under her protection.
When no one was willing to adopt him, she stepped forward and brought Eiji, then just over ten years old, home.
Even so.
For the first two years, Eiji wasn't allowed to leave the house.
Whenever Nangong Noyu went out, the doors would be tightly locked, and barriers would even be set up.
The turning point came two years later with a severe illness.
Eiji, who hadn't yet synchronized his memories at the time, was dramatically struck down by acute appendicitis. He endured it alone at home for hours before Nangong Noyu, returning in the evening, rushed him to the hospital.
It was also around that time that he met Aiba Asagi and Kojou Akatsuki.
Only after that was Eiji permitted to go outside wearing sunglasses, a mask, and a hood—but he was restricted to moving between school and home. He wasn't allowed to remove his three-piece disguise outdoors, and any other destinations required prior approval from Nangong Noyu.
Further relaxation came only after the recent Prison Barrier incident.
Since then, no matter where Eiji went or how often he stayed out overnight, Nangong Noyu never questioned him again.
It was as if she had completely let her guard down around him.
Until now.
Once again, she stood in his way.
"What do you plan to do by leaving Itogami Island?"
Nangong Noyu looked down at him from her elevated position.
"Help Kojou Akatsuki rescue Agnora."
Eiji's smile remained unchanged.
"Go back. Agnora doesn't need you to save her."
Nangong Nayue's subsequent words sounded as if she had known all along what was about to happen.
Her icy tone confirmed that Aglora would not face any danger.
Yet her words were truly difficult to accept.
"Shouldn't that depend on the person involved?"
Eiji completely disregarded her words and pointed behind him.
"Or, you could ask Kojou Akatsuki for his opinion?"
Nangong Nayue paused slightly.
"My opinion is what kind of bullshit joke is this!"
Kojou Akatsuki stomped the ground angrily.
"If there's no danger at all, why did they have to take her away? Did you also know this would happen, Natsuki-chan? Don't you think this goes against your role as a teacher? Or are you saying that whatever the country does must be right, and its subjects should willingly sacrifice themselves?"
"Quite sharp-tongued when it matters, aren't you?"
Nangong Nayue clicked her tongue.
Kojou Akatsuki was usually quite reserved, but now he had suddenly become sharp.
Is a woman's influence truly limitless?
"Whatever, I never intended to make you obediently go home just by talking anyway."
Nangong Nayue took out her folding fan, a dangerous glint flashing in her eyes.
"As long as you defeat me, you can leave this place!"
As soon as the words fell.
Silver-white chains surged from the surrounding space like winding silver snakes, waiting for the opportunity to entangle their enemy!
They didn't affect Kojou Akatsuki.
This wave of disciplinary chains surged toward Eiji alone.
Even so, Kojou Akatsuki's heart leaped into his throat.
Natsuki-chan was a world-renowned witch - no matter how powerful that bastard Eiji was, he couldn't possibly be her match!
But what happened next completely shocked him.
"Clatter clatter!"
Eiji calmly extended his hand.
His hands created afterimage after afterimage in mid-air, capturing all the incoming chains at incredible speed and casually tying them into knots.
"Rinban-oh!"
Nangong Nayue showed no surprise, coldly summoning her guardian.
A tall, brave and robust figure materialized out of thin air in mid-air.
Driven by countless mechanical gears covering its body, Rinban-oh raised its fist and smashed down from above!
"Hmph!"
Eiji snorted coldly, his eyes turning chilly.
He threw a counterpunch from below, straight as a jack toward Rinban-oh's fist that was ten times larger than his own!
"Boom—!"
In an instant, the concrete ground shattered into pieces.
The ground sank by more than a meter, and even Kojou Akatsuki, who was watching from the sidelines, was affected by the shockwaves, his body shaking violently.
"So strong!"
Kojou Akatsuki's eyes widened.
When did that guy Eiji become so powerful?
"Clatter clatter!!"
Golden mechanical gears flew scattered by the wind.
All the mechanical devices on Rinban-oh's body were shattered, leaving only its black transparent form.
"Nothing special after all!"
Eiji withdrew his fist, speaking as gently as the spring breeze.
He had channeled all of Rinban-oh's power into the ground, while Rinban-oh itself couldn't withstand the force of his punch.
"Heh, I believe I told you - the reason I lost to you last time was because I didn't want to cause too much damage."
Nangong Nayue's lips curled into a pleased smile.
"Those golden gears were seals I placed to suppress the Ring King's power. Once the seals are released, even I can barely control that strength of his. You'd best prepare yourself!"
In an instant.
An overwhelming pressure erupted from that jet-black form!
It was as if a black hole had descended before their eyes—a terrifying gravitational force radiating from the guardian.
Whether rubble or soil, everything was swept up in a frenzy toward it.
Then vanished without a trace!
"My Ring King, simply by existing, is enough to distort space and time."
With a wave of her hand, Nanaya covered the surroundings with a barrier, shielding the maintenance crew and Kojou Akatsuki inside.
She gazed delightedly at Eiji.
"This is the true power that earns the Ring King its reputation as rivaling the True Ancestor's familiars!"