"Mirror of Siesta, Lock On. Activated Defense Mode Set—Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum, Open."
"With this, our defenses are complete."
Michael Roa Valdamjong—currently inhabiting the body of the real Tohno Shiki, SHIKI—had long since escaped the underground dungeon of the Tohno estate.
However, his likely hiding spots... abandoned amusement parks, sewers, closed school buildings, construction sites—my familiars had already staked out these locations. Alice-san was also utilizing all the surveillance apparatus of her Mirror of Siesta to track Roa.
Whenever Roa attempted to set up a magical circle or turn people into Ghouls, Alice-san would immediately dispatch a Ploy Kickshaw, while I used the Preta Path's Seal Absorption to drain the magical circle, effectively starving him out.
Furthermore, since his reincarnation was incomplete and he had already been killed once by the existence known as 'Nanaya Shiki,' our persistent attrition tactics forced him to keep retreating further into the shadows.
'To obtain Arcueid Brunestud's cooperation, I must utilize Tohno Shiki. Of course, my heart says I should just excise his Mystic Eyes and transplant ordinary ones... but the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception aren't exactly True Mystic Eyes; they're more like a variant of Pure Eyes, so it would be difficult.'
It would likely be far simpler to suppress Arcueid Brunestud's bloodlust.
Whether using Godword Mayday's Unified Language or the fruit of the Great Sea of Trees, there are plenty of means to suppress the impulse to suck blood.
In that sense, I wanted Tohno Shiki to maintain a relationship with Arcueid by any means necessary.
As Aoko-nee said, Tohno Shiki's unstable mental state and persona were bound to plunge him into a demonic realm even more treacherous than the world of magi at any moment. Considering his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception are essentially an unsolvable problem, he needs a mentor or a tethering bond to lead him. And of course, we could use the help too. Mostly for the Restoration of the Human Order, or the Restoration of the Human Order, or... the Restoration of the Human Order.
Besides, with Ciel—a member of the Burial Agency—already here... my task is to keep Nero Chaos in check so he doesn't kill innocent people, manage things so Arcueid and Tohno Shiki can face him, eliminate Michael Roa Valdamjong, and establish friendly relations with them in the process... Is that even possible?
"The two of them have met."
"...Keep monitoring them. Also, use the Mirror of Siesta replicas to patrol the outskirts of town!"
"Huh? And what are you planning to do?"
What am I doing? I'm going to watch a fresh couple on their first day of 'dating.'
One peculiarity of the Rinnegan's Animal Path summons is that they all share vision.
From the smallest rat-type summon to the Kraken and Cerberus used during the Clock Tower raid, all sightlines are shared, and I can toggle them on or off at will.
"I'm the woman you almost murdered yesterday. Nice to meet you?"
"W-wait... Who exactly are you? There's no way a human cut into seventeen pieces could be alive!"
"Hmm? Ahaha! Aren't you misunderstanding something? You only cut my left wrist yesterday. But after that, you hacked away like you had some deep grudge! When I saw you slashing at empty air halfway through, I thought you were genuinely insane... though seeing how you tore my hand apart like tofu, maybe not quite."
"..."
"Do you have any idea how much it hurt? It took nearly three hours to regenerate... I almost lost consciousness from the pain, then woke back up from the pain. Can you understand my feelings, even a little, after repeating that for three hours?"
"...How should I know? More importantly... a human arm doesn't just reattach in three hours!"
Ah, youth.
It really felt like watching two very green youngsters having a lover's spat.
Contrary to the 'image' I had, Arcueid Brunestud—wearing a short mini-skirt and sporting a face that leaned more toward the 'cute' side—was hounding Tohno Shiki.
For an executioner of Dead Apostles who was supposedly devoid of emotion, she looked quite expressive and even playful as she cornered Shiki... it was, well, somewhat cute. Even if the conversation they were having was lightyears away from such sentimentality.
"Yeah, but that's because I'm not human, see?"
"...What?"
"It's obvious, isn't it? I wasn't just cut; my arm was completely severed and then sliced into seventeen bits. Where in this world is there a human who could put that back together?"
"Not human... Don't lie! Then who are you!?"
"I wonder...? Generally, people call us Vampires."
"...Vampires?"
"Yep—Vampires. In human terms, monsters that survive by sucking human blood? Well, I don't actually drink blood, though... And could you stop looking at me with such disbelief? For starters, how do you explain my arm that was pulverized by your hand?"
She then informed him that Tohno Shiki was being forcibly recruited to assist her in her vampire-hunting mission.
Shiki tried to back out at first, claiming he was just an ordinary high school student, but Arcueid shifted her nails into claws as she spoke.
"Oh, honestly! You just need to keep watch while I rest... You don't have a right of refusal anyway, so if you really want to, pick one now. Die by my hand, or help me!"
"...Fine, I'll help, alright?!"
"Hehe, then we have a contract, right? My name is Arcueid Brunestud. I'm a vampire classified as a True Ancestor... I don't suck blood, but please take care of me!"
"Tohno Shiki. Unfortunately, just a normal student."
Having seen enough of their little drama, I slowly disconnected from the familiar's senses and began synchronizing with my other puppets.
The synchronized puppets were the Preta Path, Human Path, Deva Path, and Asura Path.
Before the snake hunt, it was time to catch the Doctor Beast.
Ciel Elesia had likely just arrived in Misaki City, so she seemed to need time to prepare—reporting her arrival to the local Catholic Church or inspecting her equipment. This worked out perfectly for me. Since I had already spoken to Yuika-nee, the Sister treated Ciel strictly according to protocol, asking for personal details and conducting maintenance checks to stall her without getting caught.
Furthermore, Arcueid Brunestud, who was the polar opposite type from Ciel, focused primarily on Marble Phantasm and physical reinforcement, so she set out in person. The two of them slowly began tracking the traces of vampires.
"By the way, how do you find vampires?"
"They leave traces. Blood, corpses... occasionally traces of magecraft they use, or tracks of the beasts they summon... Though it seems like there are quite a few familiars wandering around this city already."
'...Crap, she even noticed the Chameleons I summoned with the Animal Path for stealth?'
Despite purposefully summoning only stealth-specialized creatures to avoid her keen True Ancestor senses, she seemed to have noticed the beasts in an instant, looking around the vicinity.
"Well~ it shouldn't be a problem!"
"...Hey, aren't familiars usually beasts handled by vampires?"
"Ah, sometimes they're beasts handled by magi. Of course, there are Dead Apostles who use familiars, but that guy's familiars don't hide—they act openly, biting and killing people."
"I see..."
"But I can feel that his familiars have drawn close too. He's likely near this city... somewhere. Can you help me, Shiki?"
"Not like I have a choice."
Eavesdropping on her every word, I quickly contacted Alice-san.
"Communication Security France."
[Communication Security 6 weeks... what's up?]
"Alice-san, it's an emergency. Has Nero Chaos appeared near Misaki City?"
[...I've laid a Bounded Field over the entire city using the Mirror of Siesta. Arcueid Brunestud is a transcendental entity, a True Ancestor, and I can certainly detect someone of Nero Chaos's caliber with my abilities.]
"...Understood. Please contact me the moment you confirm him."
Storing away my puppets, I took to the sky using the Deva Path.
Having learned magecraft, things like a drop in body temperature while flying were no longer an issue, and as long as I used the Animal Path's invisibility, the leakage of Mystery wasn't something I had to worry about.
Flying through the sky, I looked down at the ground and observed the people moving energetically. I pledged once again. The reason I was fighting that damned Demon God King and doing this work that didn't even fit my lot in life was specifically to protect these ordinary scenes.
[Nero Chaos's crow familiar has been confirmed. It seems he's trying to enter while ignoring the Bounded Field. Should I call Thames?]
"No. No matter how strong Nero Chaos is, he won't be a match for Arcueid Brunestud."
Of course, no matter how much it was Arcueid, she wouldn't be able to kill Nero Chaos easily.
Fabro Rowan—Nero Chaos. Also known as the Professor of Vampirism and Chaos.
He isn't merely using familiars; he has crammed 666 'factors' of beasts—still unknown in origin—into his body, replicating the primordial sea of chaos that is a Beast of Humanity. He possesses a type of immortality where he cannot die unless all 666 of those primordial cellular stocks are obliterated at once.
Of course, his personality completely collapsed when he fused that chaos into himself. To prevent the loss of his human body and ego, he uses methods like cannibalism to restock human genetic information. Though he protects himself with the Reality Marble known as 'Lair of the Beast King'... immortality is still immortality. Just as it's said that those from the Top 10 of the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors cannot be killed by normal means, Nero Chaos is the same. In the original timeline, a Tohno Shiki whose exorcist instincts were triggered caught him off guard and cut through his lines of death, wiping out all his cellular stocks in a single strike.
However, the current Arcueid Brunestud hadn't been 'divided into 17 pieces' yet and should be capable of Marble Phantasm... so she probably wouldn't suffer as badly as she did in the original story.
"Of course, that doesn't mean I intend to let innocent civilians get their blood sucked."
I felt a bit sorry for Nero Chaos, but he would have to fight on an empty stomach.
"...Who is it?"
Nero Chaos. Chosen as a target for the True Ancestor Hunt—a not-so-interesting pastime hosted by Altrouge—he had just arrived in the Far East to meet his old friend, Michael Roa Valdamjong, as well as for the hunt.
Though he had been somewhat drained from bypassing the Bounded Field on his way in, the city was teeming with humans—enough to replenish that trivial loss many times over. Just as he was about to unleash his beasts and begin the hunt... 'something' appeared and blocked his path.
"Come out. I won't ask twice."
"Then why don't you try asking thrice? Not that the only thing you'll be biting is your own forearm anyway."
"...A magus of this city? You aren't the Witch of Fairy Tales?"
"I'm her proxy. Did the Sea of Estray fail to teach you the etiquette of not entering someone else's land with muddy feet?"
"How foolish. Do you know who I am and yet engage in this unnecessary conflict? I have only come to kill the Princess of the True Ancestors; I have no quarrel with the Second Owner of this land. Move."
At Nero Chaos's words, I snorted and replied.
"This bastard sure talks a lot just to ask me to get out of the way. The moment your purpose is hunting True Ancestors, you're already out. If you start a massacre, this city will turn into a literal hellscape... Besides, you think I don't know the 'Snake' is in this city too?"
"...Fine. You intend to face me with those toys of yours...!"
At that moment, I felt strange presences right beside me, above me, and at the edge of my shadow. Soon, something resembling tentacles tried to entwine around my body.
I quickly deployed Shinra Tensei to blast them away and fired missiles from the Asura Path. Nero formed dozens of beasts from his own body, launching them all at me simultaneously, while he began slowly walking toward the interior of the hotel.
"Who said you could leave? Bansho Ten'in!"
Even if his body was composed of beast factors, Bansho Ten'in worked, and he was pulled toward me. Closing the distance rapidly, I used chainsaws transformed from the Asura Path to begin shredding the surrounding beasts.
Blood sprayed everywhere, and Nero's beasts lunged from all directions to bite me. He tried to bind me with a restraint technique suspected to be the Soil of Genesis, but when I absorbed the prana with Seal Absorption, it merely reverted back to ordinary 'beast factors.' He changed tactics, beginning to manifest overwhelming-sized beasts and Phantasmals of the Age of Gods.
"It's random, so how... wait, since retrieving and summoning is free for you, are you basically pulling the gacha until an Age of Gods beast pops out?"
The giant sphinx, Wehem-mesut, tried to crush me with its forepaw. A boar that looked like it belonged in the Hunt for the Calydonian Boar rammed me, and eight snakes resembling Scylla spat toxic mist continuously.
It might have been easier to fight while looking down at the enemies from the air, but Nero's summons included flying Monstrous Beasts as well, so I had to focus on a defensive battle while protecting myself with Shinra Tensei.
In the beginning, I launched attacks against Nero Chaos's human form using the Asura Path, but for now, I was occupied with defense. I even allowed a few strikes from the beasts, resulting in some blood flowing from my leg. Was I supposed to be glad that being bitten by his beasts didn't turn me into a Dead Apostle?
"Continuing this pointless fight seems meaningless. If you withdraw now, I shall not harm you."
"...You seem to be misunderstanding something. I never intended to win against you in the first place."
"What...?"
"No matter how high-ranking a Dead Apostle you are, it must be difficult to roam around during the day. Isn't that right?"
"...Don't tell me...!"
My goal from the start was to prevent him from sucking blood and keep his magical energy low. Furthermore, since he had consumed a significant amount of energy while dealing with me, he would be even easier to handle later.
"...I sense no human presence. You—what did you do?"
"Nothing much. Just, while you were so busy trying to kill me, I issued an evacuation order to everyone inside the hotel."
"...Then I have no reason to fight you. With no True Ancestor and no supply, there is no need to remain here. I will surely kill you later."
With those words, he suddenly exploded with a deafening bang, vanishing somewhere and leaving behind only the wrecked hotel lobby.
"Surely kill me? As if. Tonight, the Princess of the Moon will take your life."
As I fought Nero Chaos, two parties were watching me. It was as I expected.
The first was the Second Owner of this land, Alice-san, possessor of the Mirror of Siesta... The second was, naturally, Arcueid and Tohno Shiki, who were staying at this hotel.
"For now, the two of them likely perceive me as either a Dead Apostle hunter or a magus with ties to Alice-san. Besides, given that he attacked so blatantly, Arcueid Brunestud won't leave him alone."
[I understand what you mean. Since you effectively wore him out today, you plan to hunt Nero Chaos tonight alongside Arcueid Brunestud and that boy?]
"Hunting a Dead Apostle, especially catching a fugitive magus from the Sea of Estray, would be quite an achievement for Department of Yumina. Wouldn't it be good for you to join, Alice-san?"
[No, I absolutely loathe troublesome attention. Besides, even if I was the one to catch him, you—a Grand who reached that rank in your twenties—would still draw all the focus, wouldn't you?]
"Got it. Then please just keep a close eye on Roa's side."
Meanwhile, as I spoke with Alice-san, Arcueid was kindly explaining to Tohno Shiki who their opponent was.
"What the heck is going on? Arcueid! Who was that guy just now?!"
"Nero Chaos. A vampire like I mentioned... one of the enemies I must face. But he's certainly impressive, stalling against one of the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors while evacuating every single citizen."
"...What did you say?"
"Nero Chaos specializes in animal familiars. He must indulge in periodic gluttony to maintain his control over those beasts, so there's no way he would ignore such a grand meal as this hotel, right?"
"Wait, then the guy fighting that Nero person earlier..."
"Yeah, he's probably not the owner of this land... maybe someone who hunts Dead Apostles privately like me, or an Executor from the Holy Church. But judging by the type of magecraft he used, it wasn't a Sacrament recognized by the Church. He's likely someone chasing Dead Apostles on his own."
Arcueid and Tohno Shiki left the hotel and moved to a suitable alternative hideout. While the Mirror of Siesta couldn't track Arcueid Brunestud, it could confirm Tohno Shiki's location. I didn't send familiars close, but ordered them to scout only the surrounding area.
"Understood, Shiki? If that guy is related to the Holy Church, he'll be quite dangerous. But for now, you're a civilian. To you—someone who just happens to possess the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception—the Church shouldn't be too dangerous..."
Arcueid's plan was simple.
She would lure Nero to the park. While they fought, Tohno Shiki would aim for Nero's Point of Death, completely obliterating the existence of Nero Chaos...
"That plan is certainly the most perfect one."
Arcueid hadn't been weakened, and with her current condition, she would easily handle someone like Nero, who was already weakened by his inability to feed. Still, the reason I intended to step in was, first, because I knew all too well that this world did not follow the original script, and second, because it was a great chance to appeal myself to potential recruits.
If Arcueid Brunestud struggled, I'd have to help a bit with Chibaku Tensei...
...is what I thought at one point. But what the hell is that? Are you serious...?
Slice. Slicesliceslice! Slicesliceslicesliceslicesliceslicesliceslice… BOOM!!!
"Only this much? For someone chosen for the sport of a True Ancestor Hunt... you're way too weak, Fabro Rowan!"
"Kugh... To think you'd be this strong without even using Marble Phantasm... You, the Princess of the True Ancestors who is supposedly consumed by bloodlust...!"
"You still don't realize the difference in our power. To deal with you? These claws are more than enough!"
Overwhelming. It was a difference in sheer combat prowess that could only be described as overwhelming.
In this moment, I realized for the second time how fragile the 'original plot' was and how easily it could be shattered. The first time, of course, was during the 4th Holy Grail War, which went so far off the rails that an Evil of Humanity appeared.
According to settings, even a full-power Arcueid would have difficulty if caught by the Soil of Genesis—a pseudo-reproduction of primordial Earth's continents—but because the surrounding beasts were all cleared out, Tohno Shiki was able to move freely and shred it. The Phantasmal Species Nero summoned through his repeated cycles of manifesting and retrieving factors—as if he were rerolling a gacha—were simply being torn apart by her claws and kicks.
Finding the situation intolerable, Nero stepped in personally to direct his familiars against Tohno Shiki, even utilizing the environment for ambushes. Yet, with a single swipe of her claws, the beasts in their structured formations were rent asunder. Furthermore, I don't know what they were, but a massive halberd and shield manifested via Marble Phantasm began slaughtered the beasts targeting Shiki with insane efficiency.
Having spent about an hour happily slaughtering everything, Arcueid suddenly shouted as if she'd realized something.
"I see, Professor Chaos. They weren't just familiars—they were the factors themselves!"
"Correct. This is the Chaos that reproduces the Primordial Sea. Can you see it? The chaos of the 666 beasts contained within my body..."
"The Primordial Sea. Chaos that reproduces the Goddess Tiamat... I knew they weren't just ordinary familiars!"
She lunged toward him abruptly, shoved her hand into Nero's humanoid shell, and shouted.
"The 666 beasts, the Primordial Sea—if it's all inside your body... then I'll just simply create something bigger than that Primordial Sea!"
"What?! You—surely...!"
At that moment, Nero's body began to swell uncontrollably until he looked like a giant advertisement balloon. Watching that scene with a laugh, Arcueid shouted in a bright voice.
"Shiki~! If you just cut that thing properly now, it'll all be over!"
"D-Don't make me laugh! There is no way I, who came here to enjoy sport, could die in such a ridiculous manner...!"
Slice.
"...Is it over?"
"Yep~ Shiki, you really did a great job. Thanks to you, I could finish this without pushing myself too hard."
"Hmm... actually, if you hadn't cut your hand earlier, we might have caught him even more easily."
"No, regenerating a hand cut by Shiki is actually quite a simple matter to resolve. If I'd really had to kill that thing... the energy consumption would have been much worse. Thank you so much, Shiki!"
With those words, she hugged Tohno Shiki tightly. His face turned beet red, and he stood there, completely flustered.
Gazing at the scene with satisfaction, I pressed X to express JOY toward the now-deceased Nero Chaos and prepared to slowly leave the area.
Seriously though, I didn't know an un-nerfed True Ancestor would be this strong...
"Oh, right! And you over there~!"
"...?"
"I've already found you out, so why don't you just come out?"
Ah, crap.
Even without the nerf, isn't this a bit much?
========================
The website for reading paid chapters is available on my Patreon. The number of chapters on Patreon: 80
Link: patreon.com/UltraMagnus_T