The sunlight gently streamed through the window, warming the side of Iruma's face. His eyes slowly fluttered open under the white bandages that had been wrapped around him for nearly five hours. Carefully, he unwrapped them, blinking a few times as light poured in, and then smiled in relief.
Good... my vision's back.
The door burst open with a gust of wind.
"Iruma-kun! How are you feeling!?"
Sullivan's voice echoed through the room, carrying with it an avalanche of objects. In a chaotic swirl of teleportation magic, Sullivan dropped over a dozen outfits, multiple baskets of sweets, assorted toys, a pile of enchanted weapons, and even a magical cushion shaped like a cat.
"I brought everything a recovering boy could ever want!"
Iruma blinked slowly, overwhelmed, but smiled politely.
"T-thank you, Grandpa. It's… a lot."
He means well... I should just smile... even if I don't need half of these.
Opera stood behind him, arms crossed and expression flat.
"You're spoiling him again."
Sullivan grinned.
"He deserves it! He fought a literal battlefield duel and survived!"
Later that morning, Iruma sat by the window in thought, his chin resting on his hand.
Strange… today was the Battle Showcase. Kirio should have been here. He helped make the fireworks… so why didn't he show up?
Before he could dwell deeper, a strange sensation passed over him—a sharp chill, as if something unseen had shifted far away.
Far beneath the heart of the Netherworld, deep in a blackened ritual chamber surrounded by seething demonic magic, Baal—one of the Thirteen Crowns—sat upon his throne of jagged obsidian.
Before him, kneeling low, was a familiar figure in a tattered Battler uniform.
Kirio.
The room pulsed with arcane power. Baal's voice echoed, distorted and deliberate.
"You've prepared well, Kirio. I trust you are ready?"
Kirio kept his head bowed low, shadows masking his grin.
"Yes. I will carry out the mission exactly as planned."
The air grew heavier.
"Remember. This is no longer a game. This is about destruction. Infiltration. A message."
Kirio's smirk widened, unseen by most.
"Then let the curtain rise. I'll make sure they never forget this day."
With a simple hand motion, Baal offered him a sealed scroll. It glowed with high-class demonic sigils—Rank 9 mana, laced with forbidden magic. A one-time spell.
A barrier spell of absolute containment.
Back at Babyls, the party had begun. Colorful tents lined the open courtyards, fireworks and magical contraptions from every Battler Club filled the air. Laughter and chatter surrounded them.
Iruma stood with Alice and Clara, scanning the area.
"Where's Kirio?" Clara asked, twirling.
Alice frowned, crossing his arms.
"He might've gotten nervous and left early. Or maybe he's just hiding again. He's… always been a bit odd."
"We can't assume anything," Iruma replied. "He worked hard too. We have to trust him."
But deep down, something in Iruma stirred—a gut feeling.
This doesn't feel right...
Elsewhere, hidden behind a sealed wall inside an abandoned part of the school, Kirio stood before a glowing crystal orb, watching the party unfold.
He smirked quietly.
All these fools dancing... they don't realize today isn't the end of a term... it's the beginning of a revolution.
In his mind, Baal's words echoed.
"Twisted, yes. But you see the world clearly, Kirio. You're not broken. You're necessary."
He reached for the choker around his neck—an enchanted limiter. His fingers curled around the crimson gem embedded in it.
With a single crack—
Snap.
—the stone shattered.
In an instant, mana surged around him like a vortex. The entire school trembled.
Tents collapsed. Students stumbled. Lights flickered. A shockwave tore through the air.
"All staff, report to your stations!" Kalego's voice roared as he took command, his eyes narrowing sharply.
A thick invisible wall shot up around the main grounds.
Iruma stumbled back, hands out—he smacked into it.
"What—!?"
Alice and Clara were on the other side, banging against the barrier.
"IRUMA! SAMA -"
Iruma pressed his palm against the wall.
No... not again. Kirio... what have you done...?
The invisible wall shimmered faintly as Clara pressed her face against it.
"It's like jelly—but Invisible jelly!"
Alice frowned, tapping it with a knuckle.
"It's solid… but no magic circle visible. Weird."
Iruma narrowed his eyes, focusing on the way the wall pulsed.
No doubt about it… this feels like Kirio's bloodline magic. Like how he manipulated barriers before Right? Or am I wrong?.
Suddenly, a loud cry echoed across the school.
"There are barriers all around the school!"
The announcement startled many students. Teachers immediately mobilized. From the central courtyard, Robin raised a finger with a thoughtful look.
"Could it be… a massive surprise event?"
"Maybe , It is" Many student were excited because they don't have any clue.
---
Just then, a monstrous roar shook the barrier.
"Cerberion—tear it down!"
Kalego's voice was sharp, cold.
The monstrous three-headed beast lunged forward, slamming into the wall. A burst of smoke and debris scattered—only for the wall to ripple and mend itself perfectly within seconds.
Kalego's eyes narrowed.
"Self-repairing at that speed… this isn't ordinary. Only a Yodh [10]-ranked spell could reinforce something like this. Which means—"
—someone with access to tremendous magic or forbidden resources.
The panic started to ripple through the crowd.
"Is this an attack?"
"Was it from an outsider!?"
"No way—this has to be serious!"
Then a cheerful tone chimed through the speakers, and a distorted voice boomed:
"Ahem! Attention, students of Babyls! As part of a surprise event from the New Magic Development Battler and Gaming Battler—WELCOME TO THE MAZE!"
A series of magical lights burst in the sky. The voice continued, overly cheery.
"Your task is simple: reach the central courtyard. First teams get rare rewards and recognition! Teachers are stationed to assist. Happy exploring!"
Dali, standing in the broadcasting room, wiped sweat from his brow and gave a thumbs-up to Baraki, who nodded with dramatic flair.
"Nice cover, Baraki. We just bought ourselves time."
He called Kalego through a small mirror.
"We'll maintain order here. Let's not cause panic before we understand what this really is."
Kalego grunted.
"Understood. Begin guiding students. I'll track the source. Robin, contact Lord Sullivan immediately."
Robin saluted, already forming a magical bird to fly the message.
Soon, hundreds of students were redirected to the courtyard. Glittering sigils blocked all exits, sealing them in. While most students laughed and treated it like a festival game, Kalego remained perfectly still, his instincts prickling.
"Too efficient… this setup is too fast. Someone orchestrated this long before today."
Elsewhere, hidden behind layers of rock and barrier sigils, Kirio slid on his leather gloves. His secret chamber glowed with malevolent energy. In front of him stood a miniature model of the entire school—glowing lines tracing paths through the maze.
Kirio chuckled softly.
"Heh. Just like rats. One big funhouse of doom."
He lifted a glowing firework shell—twice the size of a human head. It pulsed with dark mana.
Behind him, his staff—Gabu-ko—sparked and crackled with unstable magical pressure, feeding the shell with energy.
"Soon as they're all together… BOOM. A brilliant, unforgettable finale."
He paused. A flicker of magic brushed the outer layer of his traps.
Hmm?
Kirio turned sharply toward the model, tracing a red dot that flickered with intense energy, tearing through the halls at a dangerous speed.
"What the—no way... already here?"
He squinted.
The red dot was moving faster than anyone else.
"Tch. Of course it's you, Iruma-kun. Still playing the hero…?"
He adjusted his gloves, smirking.
"Then let's see if you can keep being the hero… once the real game begins."
A sudden swish cut through the stagnant air.
Then another—swap—shup—whrr!
The invisible walls of the maze shimmered faintly, disrupted by unseen motion.
Something—someone—was cutting through them. Fast.
Kirio, hunched over his miniature replica of Babyls, stiffened.
The red marker—tracking Iruma—was weaving through the blocked paths like thread through a needle.
"That's impossible…" he muttered, eyes narrowing.
"The barriers are seamless. Even if he sensed one or two—he shouldn't be able to see them!"
He clenched his teeth.
"The metal choker is gone—destroyed. So how—how is he finding the gaps?"
Earlier, at the maze's onset…
"Iruma-sama!"
Alice's voice trembled with frustration as he slammed a hand against the wall.
"This stupid barrier…! It separated me and Azz-kun from You!"
Clara whimpered and flailed.
"It's Kirio! He's jealous! He doesn't want you near me, Iruma-chi!"
"That's not it, Clara."
Alice shook his head, voice firm.
"Kirio-senpai's magic was barely enough to interfere with the Battler Exams. He couldn't possibly create barriers strong enough to lock down the entire school."
Iruma stared at the distant tower where he could feel Kirio's twisted energy growing stronger.
He's scared. Hurt. But why go this far?
He turned back to his friends, eyes calm but determined.
"I want to reach him before it's too late. Alice. Clara. Will you help me?"
Clara saluted dramatically.
"Anything-Any...thing for you, Iruma~chi!"
Alice nodded sharply.
"Of course. Just give me a pencil."
Clara reached into her pocket and—somehow—produced pencils, erasers, and a full writing desk.
"Take your pick!"
Alice grabbed a sheet and began sketching from memory—the third-year tower, staircases, battler rooms, and old storerooms.
"I'll map every floor and path. We'll trace him out."
Clara giggled, whispering a spell. Dozens of tiny paper soldiers sprang to life, each carrying a glowing rune on its back.
Alice's eyes gleamed.
"Perfect. I'll feed them magic. Wherever they bounce or vanish, we'll mark it as a wall."
Swap—shup—swish!
Iruma moved like a ghost in moonlight. Even with his bandaged eye, his other senses sharpened.
Each footstep was precise, every breath silent. The Susanoo training under Opera—the fine control from avoiding the traps of the Cannonball Game—it all came together here.
Alice's voice crackled in through the small mirror Clara gave Iruma.
"Turn left. There's a three-meter gap before the next barrier."
Iruma nodded and vanished—swap!
Meanwhile…
Kalego's voice thundered through the staff room.
"He's the only viable suspect—Kirio. Spread out. Locate him immediately."
Staff raced to the tower floors, scattering as Robin kept watch from above.
In the courtyard, students cheered as magical beasts leapt and performed tricks. Among them, Eiko squealed in awe, backing into a nearby pillar—
CRACK!
A sign wobbled above, ready to fall.
FWOOOSH!
A gust of wind, a flash of crimson—and Ameri caught the sign mid-air, slamming it aside.
"What are you all doing!?" she barked. "Settle down!"
The crowd hushed instantly.
Ameri scanned the courtyard, her eyes sharp.
This isn't a surprise event. It's a distraction. But where is—
Her heart skipped.
Iruma's not here.
Back at the tower…
A heavy, rusted door loomed before Iruma. Cold mana radiated from it. The paper map in his hand glowed faintly—Kirio's aura was right behind it.
Iruma exhaled slowly, pressing his hand to the door.
We're not enemies, senpai. But I won't let you hurt anyone either.
He pushed open the door.