Ling Ke was a little disappointed.
Initially, he had assumed this newly drawn abstract ability, Grand Assassin, originated from the FGO lore within the Type-Moon universe—perhaps something related to that legendary Old Man of the Mountain who specializes in triple-Buster gorilla tactics.
As it turned out...
Grand Assassin: Your presence will be passively reduced to an extremely low level. This state surpasses all conventional forms of concealment.
Well, he could guess which famous memes this ability actually pulled from.
As everyone knows, the Grand Assassin Katou Megumi and the girl with zero presence, Akarin, are truly terrifying entities. From a distance, you can't lock onto them; up close, your perception of them becomes blurred; if you look too closely, your brain simply crashes. In the vast multiverse, the only one who might be able to compete with them is the bunny-girl senpai, Mai Sakurajima, while she's suffering from Adolescence Syndrome.
But he was getting sidetracked.
In terms of pure concealment power, this abstract ability was a complete bug. And more importantly...
"Even if this doesn't provide direct, overwhelming combat power... it's perfect for solving Mei's current predicament."
Ling Ke knew Cocolia's style. Since that civil war specialist had set her sights on Mei—going so far as to sacrifice millions of lives in Nagazora City and framing Raiden Ryoma—she definitely had eyes on Mei's every move.
Under normal circumstances, even if the host for the Third Herrscher caused a scene at Chiba Academy, Cocolia wouldn't interfere. In fact, she'd probably encourage it. The more Mei spiraled, the more likely she was to lose control and undergo an awakening. That fit Cocolia's Artificial Herrscher Project perfectly.
However, if Raiden Mei suddenly tried to leave Nagazora City—the stage Cocolia had spent so much time preparing—she would undoubtedly face resistance. It was highly likely Cocolia had a Plan B ready: if the bullying at school didn't break Mei's spirit, they would move to more direct methods. Framing her for a crime, turning her into a fugitive, making the whole world revile her...
Given Mei's current mental state, she wouldn't be able to withstand such a malicious onslaught.
So...
"I'm moving out!"
That afternoon, Ling Ke had Mei pack enough luggage for a long journey. Then, the three personas merged once again. The purple-haired girl walked out the front door carrying several bags.
With the god-tier concealment of the Grand Assassin ability, her presence was erased at the fundamental level. Raiden Mei walked right past every single one of Cocolia's watchers without a single eye turning toward her.
Next...
"Nagazora is densely populated, but there is one place nearby that is absolutely deserted."
"And it's easy to find."
While communicating internally with Mei and the Herrscher, Ling Ke—in Mei's body—boarded a tourist bus headed out of the city. The bus wasn't full, and because his presence was so low, he didn't even bother buying a ticket. He strolled right past the conductor and took a seat.
This was the true value of a Grand Assassin! (Tactical lean back.jpg)
As for their destination...
"Southwest of Nagazora—Mount Fuji."
As the highest peak in the island nation and an active volcano, it was world-famous. While it was a popular tourist spot, the vast majority of visitors stayed near the base. Very few had the capability or the desire to climb to the higher reaches.
Ling Ke believed that if Raiden Mei successfully reached the summit, even if the Third Great Eruption was triggered there, collateral damage would be kept to a minimum.
But what if there were extreme climbing enthusiasts on the mountain the day they acted?
"Mount Fuji's climbing season officially starts on July 1st, and summer is the best time. It's early December now; the season is long over."
"Plus, the news yesterday reported that Fuji has entered an active volcanic phase with visible ash clouds. No one is going to be death-seeking enough to climb it now."
And if someone was that determined to court death... well, he'd respect their destiny. Of course, if they did stumble upon some unlucky soul, Ling Ke didn't mind using Seventeen Shots in Two Seconds to scare them off. A gun firing into the sky was usually much more effective at deterring ordinary people than the supernatural forces they couldn't comprehend.
"It seems Cocolia didn't install cameras inside the Raiden estate, or she would have been alerted the moment the three Meis appeared yesterday."
"Based on that, it's perfectly normal for Mei to stay cooped up inside for a few days. In the best-case scenario, it will take three to five days for that civil war specialist to realize she's lost track of Mei."
The next day, as Raiden Mei stepped off the bus, the silhouette of Mount Fuji loomed in the distance. A smile touched her lips.
Ling Ke hadn't chosen a random bus. This was a dedicated vehicle used by a travel agency for Fuji-related tours. Throughout the dozens of kilometers of the journey, he hadn't had to do anything but sit back and relax. Even with a few stops for food and rest, they hadn't lost much time.
Now that the destination was in sight, there was no need to stay with the tour group. Raiden Mei adjusted her heavy hiking pack, took hold of her large suitcase, and began to walk toward the mountain alone.
Meanwhile, on the other side...
"Nagazora City... hmph!"
A girl with vibrant energy, white hair, and blue eyes arrived at the place where her fate was destined to begin.
"I wonder if there are any traces of that idiot old man here?"