Chapter 9 [New Target]
Tatsuya and Miyuki were not under any surveillance at the hotel where they were staying. This came as a surprise to Tatsuya, but JJ wanted to avoid upsetting him in any way.
At JJ's urging, that is, with the final word of the Secretary of Defense Spencer, the Defense Intelligence Agency backed down, and the other intelligence agencies followed suit. His words were the same as the English saying, "Let sleeping dogs lie."25 There is an eastern proverb that is similar to it, "Untouched Gods won't curse you."26 No matter the exact words, those in America understood the meaning that he had pulled their chestnuts out of the fire.27
In the middle of the night, shortly after midnight local time. Tatsuya stepped out onto his balcony where he sent a short message on his satellite phone. The message was addressed to his personal butler, Hanabishi Hyougo, in Japan.
The message read, "Please tell him to descend as we discussed."
At first glance, this would appear as an instruction to cut one's losses on a losing investment, except that it is, for all intents and purposes, a code.
He returned inside, leaving the large screen window open, and approximately one minute later, a presence suddenly appeared on the balcony where he was standing. When he turned around, there was no sign of anyone. The presence was gone as soon as it appeared, as if it had been a figment of his imagination.
"Thank you for coming."
But Tatsuya called out to the empty balcony undeterred.
The curtains hanging over the large window swayed inward.
Amid the curtains stood a mysterious young man of inhuman beauty.
"Good evening, Tatsuya-san. Did you call for me?"
"Minoru, I need your help."
The young man's name is Kudou Minoru. The term "inhuman," which can be used to describe him, is both a metaphor and the truth. He is a former human, turned Parasite.
Minoru lives on a space station, or rather, the satellite orbital residence facility "Takachiho," located in satellite orbit at an altitude of about 6,400 kilometers. It's from there that he has just descended.
His choice of commute was neither an atmospheric re-entry capsule nor a shuttle, much less an unidentified flying object28 (officially termed unidentified aerial phenomenon).29
It was a descent via magic. It was done by using an engraved [Mock-Teleportation] magic circle. This technology is called "Virtual Satellite Elevator" by Tatsuya and his associates.
Tatsuya invited Minoru to sit down. They both sat down across from one another at the dining room table.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"No. But do you mind if I take these tea bags home with me?"
"Of course not, go ahead."
Minoru must have hesitated in leaving Minami behind on the "Takachiho." And, if he was going to drink fine tea, he would prefer to enjoy drinking it with her
Tatsuya thought that Minoru is more human than he is for wanting to do so.
"So, what do you need me for?"
Perhaps to hide his embarrassment, Minoru suddenly made a straight face.
Tatsuya didn't feel like teasing Minoru, and went straight to the point.
"Let me tell you beforehand that this request is for something illegal. If you don't like it, feel free to refuse."
"Please, I'd like to know the details."
Minoru had no intention of dismissing the request just because it was illegal. He had committed all kinds of crimes when he first became a parasite, so it isn't like committing another crime or two at this point will really weigh heavily on his mind.
"I want you to steal the black stone tablet that FAIR dug up from Mt. Shasta."
"Just the black stone tablet?"
Minoru had been informed about the two types: black stone tablets and white stone tablets that were unearthed from Mt. Shasta.
"What exactly is the black stone tablet supposed to be?"
"If the information obtained from the interrogation of the FAIR magician is to be believed, then it seems to be a device called a 'Guru's Stone Tablet' that bestows magic."
"Bestows magic? Is it an artifact that teaches magic?"
"I guess 'imprinting' would be a better description."
Tatsuya had shared the information he got from Helen to Minoru, including about the Psion Information Body he witnessed when he captured her.
Do you think perhaps that this daemon is another one of those 'familiars' that I 'saw' in San Francisco…?"
"I think it's a possibility, but that's not the only thing I'm concerned about."
While agreeing with Minoru's point, Tatsuya shook his head slightly side to side.
"It will be extremely dangerous if these daemons can be created with modern technology. Theoretically, it would be possible to use daemons to mass produce Strategic-Class Magicians."
Minoru immediately understood the possibility that Tatsuya alluded to.
"Based on what I've gathered, the [Babel] magic recorded on the stone tablet is quite dangerous in itself. It may not directly bring about death and destruction, but it can, depending on the circumstances, bring about the collapse of modern society."
He went on to further point out,
"We'll consider countermeasures for that in due course. I've already arranged data on that. However, we still don't have sufficient information about the daemons. First, I'd like to examine the 'Guru's Stone Tablet' that awakened the daemon I saw."
Minoru noded to Tatsuya's response.
Minoru was of the same mind about the importance of studying the daemons.
"I understand. I'll take care of it.
Tatsuya and Minoru jointly understand the seriousness of the situation, so Minoru knows it is of the utmost importance that he steal the "Guru's Stone Tablet" in FAIR's possession.
Once he finished his conversation with Tatsuya, Minoru headed back to the balcony.
Tatsuya suggested that he stay the night instead of making a round trip between the Earth's surface and satellite orbit, but Minoru declined with a laugh.
Tatsuya didn't need to hear from Minoru's mouth to know that he doesn't want to leave Minami alone if he can help it, so Tatsuya didn't extend a second invitation.
Minoru had disappeared.
For a magic of this scale that launched him up to satellite orbit, the traces he left behind were negligible. Even with the USNA's magic detection technology, which is more advanced than that of Japan's, it would be impossible to detect them if they were not present.
Minoru returned home, in space, giving a practical example to the expression, "a bird does not foul the nest it is about to leave."30
◇ ◇ ◇
The next day, July 18th, Dean heard from Laura in his office that the "Guru's Stone Tablet" was operational again.
He, like Laura, did not spare a word of sympathy for Helen.
If other members were present they might have shown at least a pretense of grieving, but now it was just he and Laura. Dean saw no need for the performance.
"Who do you think should learn it next?"
Dean asked Laura this as he toyed with the black stone tablet she handed to him — specifically, by juggling it from one hand to the other.
"Wouldn't it be more appropriate if my lord were to use it?"
Laura replied without needing to think about it.
"No, I'll not be using this stone tablet."
Dean handed the stone tablet back to Laura as he said so.
"Indeed, there's no ignoring the possibility that you won't be able to use [Dionysus] after all."
[Dionysus] is a rare magic that Dean specializes in, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it is unique to him. FAIR was originally organized by the stateless overseas Chinese terrorist, Jiedo Heigu, also known as Gu Jie, to discredit the image of magicians. When he established the organization, Gu Jie decided to remain in the shadows and chose someone who had no superficial relationship with him to be its representative. And it was Dean who was chosen.
And the reason Dean was chosen was because of his [Dionysus].
The direct combat power of this magic is low.
However, [Dionysus] more than makes up for its lack of combat power thanks to the features it has, which makes it a great weapon for him as the leader of an organization that commits unlawful acts. It was precisely thanks to [Dionysus] that Dean was able to seize complete control of FAIR, both in name and in reality, from Gu Jie.
Dean greatly appreciates the value of [Babel]. But, there is no magic in the world that he is willing to learn if the risk that comes with it is him not being able to use [Dionysus].
"Laura. I'm thinking that we could use [Babel] to try and acquire an Artificial Relic again."
"The Artificial Relics from FLT?"
The Artificial Relics, which have the ability to store a Magic Sequence, are used in the Stellar Reactor Plants, however, they are not manufactured on Miyaki-shima where the plants are located, but instead at FLT in Tokyo. Although the "Janus" duo under his command failed to steal an Artificial Relic, the information concerning the location where they are manufactured was relayed to Dean.
"I admit that [Babel] is a great weapon, however, we still need a Relic to strengthen our arsenal as an organization."
"…I understand. In that case, I'll use the stone tablet myself."
Laura tightened her bewitching beautiful face to show her determination to Dean.
"You'll be going to Japan, then?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Okay. I'll be counting on you."
"Thank you sir. With that, I'll now commence [Babel]'s initiation rite."
"Hmm."
Dean nodded in satisfaction.
"If you'll excuse me, my lord."
With the stone tablet in hand, Laura stepped away from Dean.
◇ ◇ ◇
Sunday, July 18th. Considering that she might be at a congregation in the morning, Tatsuya chose to use the hotel phone to make a videophone call to Vancouver.
He received Lena's number during her visit with her astral body. Contrary to his concerns, Lena answered the phone right away.
It was not because she saw that Tatsuya was the caller that Lena appeared frozen, mouth half-open mid-introduction, on the screen. The videophone tracks the position of the other party's line of sight, mirroring where the caller is looking on the display. So by looking into the eyes of the other person, you would be meeting eyes with theirs through the video.
And right now, Lena's gaze was fixed not on Tatsuya, but on Miyuki beside him.
Tatsuya introduced Miyuki, under the impression that she may not have ever seen a picture of Miyuki before.
[…Er, nice to meet you. I'm Lena Fehr, Miss Shiba, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.]
"Thank you for your kindness, I am Shiba Miyuki. I'd also like to say it's a pleasure."
Miyuki's voice was finely measured as she returned the greeting. She also seemed surprised by Lena's appearance. For her part, she is impressed by Lena's youthful appearance rather than by her good looks.
The relevant details about Lena are already in Miyuki's mind from the reports about FEHR that she has read countless times. From these, she knows that Lena is actually 30 years old, and that she physically appears to be in her teens. It's the same with any photos she has seen of her, she has memorized them all.
However, the impression she gives off while live on video is different from the one that is perceived from photos of her. The impression Miyuki was getting from seeing Lena on the screen, is that she appears to be three to four years younger than herself.
Tatsuya could understand the hesitation from the two of them. But he did not see it as a situation for him to intervene in.
"Miss Fehr, I am now in Berkeley, California."
[You've come to the States!?]
Lena's face glowed with delight. It was such a radiant smile that Miyuki couldn't help but be jealous.
[But why Berkeley?]
Before long, Lena's face turned quizzical. Her fickle, abrupt change of expressions made her look even younger than she already was.
"We've been assisting in the investigation of an incident caused by FAIR's abuse of magic over here."
[…Has it been settled?]
"Yes, we caught the culprit. FAIR themselves will soon be under investigation."
[I'm glad to hear that.]
Lena expressed a look of relief on the screen. The thought of, "finally, they're going to make a move" was also tangible in that.
[About this case you mentioned, does it have something to do with the black stone tablet?]
"Precisely. Alas, regrettably, Miss Fehr's premonition has come true."
[I see… It would have been best if nothing had happened.]
Lena now turned her head down with a sour look on her face.
Miyuki, who was looking at the screen next to Tatsuya, mused, "She is surprisingly expressive despite her enigmatic looks."
[But it's a blessing that you came, Mister. Thanks to your assistance, I think that the worst-case scenario was avoided. You have my utmost gratitude, Mr. Shiba.]
Lena looked up, a smile shining on her face anew.
"She's a person to watch out for," Miyuki noted in red ink on her mental notebook.
"We avoided the worst-case scenario this time, but I can't say it's all been resolved."
[…Because the stone tablet is still in FAIR's hands?]
"There is also that."
Tatsuya did not bother to mention that he had already requested countermeasures on that end.
[What else is there?]
"The cave on Mt. Shasta where the stone tablet was unearthed."
[Oh, I see. Indeed, there is always the possibility that there could be other dangerous items buried there as well.]
She did not fail to consider this possibility. Lena had just pushed it to the back of her mind after she handed over the white stone tablet to the police with the video evidence of the illegal digging, as well the questioning of her colleague by the police whom she accompanied.
"So, I would like to investigate that cave at least once myself."
[I understand. In that case, would you like me to send one of my people to show you where it is?]
"Thank you for the offer, but all I would like is the location."
[I see…]
Lena muttered ruefully. She didn't, however, push the offer further.
Each magician has unique trade secrets of their own. Tatsuya is probably planning to use a secret technique during his investigation that he would like to have revealed to strangers — this was Lena's take on his refusal.
[In that case, I can introduce you to the private detective who knows the location of the cave. If you can get to their office in Seattle, I'll ask them to meet with you.]
"A private detective, you say?"
[Yes. She's Japanese like you, Mister, so I think it will be easier for you to get the details from her.]
Tatsuya had a good idea about the "Japanese private detective," who Lena just mentioned.
It is very likely to be the same person whom Mayumi mentioned to him about.
Tatsuya was almost entirely positive as to who that private detective is.
"I would be very grateful. Then, if possible, could you please tell the detective to contact me in the morning?"
It would take less time and effort for him to get there with directions than it would to look at a map. Tatsuya thought to himself, "I'm going to work you to the bone," as he asked her in an apologetic tone.
[I understand. If there is anything else I can do, please do not hesitate to ask.]
Lena did not seem to notice Tatsuya's malice at all.
◇ ◇ ◇
Tatsuya received a phone call at the hotel at 11:59 P.M. It was just a minute before the appointed time. The fact that it was a voice call, and not a video call, showed enough of the other person's thoughts.
[Hello, I'm Luca Fields, the private detective that Miss Fehr referred you to.]
She was trying to keep up the pretense that the both of them are strangers when she introduced herself.
"Hello, Ono-sensei, how have you been?"
Unfortunately for her, Tatsuya had no intention of following along.
[…Nice to meet you. You're Mr. Shiba, right?]
Luca Fields, that is Ono Haruka, stubbornly tried to keep up the act.
"Let's stop wasting time, shall we? Can I expect you to guide us to where we need to go as soon as possible?"
Tatsuya's response was blunt.
An audible sigh could be heard through the speakers.
[…If you would just give the routine, "Hello," we could skip the unnecessary back-and-forth.]
"I would like to meet near Mt.Shasta. When can you be there?"
Undeterred by Haruka's protests, Tatsuya carried on with his business.
This time, it was a sigh of resignation that was heard.
[As a matter of fact, I happen to be near Mt. Shasta. So, I think Shiba-san is the one who will take the longest to get there.]
As if to make her case, Haruka referred to him as "Shiba-san" instead of "Shiba-kun."
"Then how about 3:00 P.M.?"
[…If you're coming by car, it'll be about a five hour drive from Berkeley.]
"It'll be fine."
[…If you say so.]
Haruka didn't press the issue. She has never heard of the Air Car, but she was sure that Tatsuya might have some means of getting there that she is unaware of, so she shrugged off the doubt.
"Please choose a location for us to meet, Ono-sensei."
With that Haruka then mentioned the name of a certain public park.
[Will you be staying at a hotel? I can make a reservation for you on my end.]
"No, that will not be necessary."
[…Aren't you worried about how late it will be?]
"It's all right."
Haruka didn't have any more ordinary concerns to bring up.
At 3:00 P.M., by the time she had arrived at the park that they had agreed to meet at, Tatsuya was already waiting for her in the parking lot. He got out of his car and was leaning against the driver's side of his station wagon-type self-propelled car, watching the entrance to the parking lot. However, Haruka did not notice Tatsuya there.
As he walked up to her, she became wary due to not recognizing him. Haruka didn't recognize the man's face, which isn't the kind to leave a lasting impression.
"Ono-sensei."
Upon being called by her name, Haruka blurted out, "Uh?"
"…Wait, could it be, are you Shiba-san?"
"That's right."
It was only with that answer that Haruka finally recognized him to be Tatsuya.
One should be able to surmise by now that this is due to the effect of the recognition-inhibiting magic [Aidoneus]. The effect of this magic doesn't create a disguise like that of [Parade], so his face has remained the same. If the caster consciously wishes to, they can make themselves recognizable and the other person will be able to identify their unaltered appearance.
"Let's get going. Can I ask you to lead the way?"
"O-Okay, sure."
Haruka, who had not fully recovered her composure, nodded her head slightly.
◇ ◇ ◇
Haruka led Tatsuya to the nearest open space near the cave where FAIR had been illegally digging.
Haruka got out of her self-propelled car. Tatsuya and Miyuki got out of their Air Car that had been following behind.
"Excuse me… is that, by any chance, Miyuki-san?"
Tatsuya shrugged lightly at Haruka's question.
Haruka couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Miyuki had also become unrecognizable, as if she were some "face in the crowd." Haruka had an idea that this was due to the effect of some kind of magic.
Nevertheless, she has never thought that there is anything that could extinguish the radiance of that Miyuki. It was beyond unbelievable, but rather unthinkable. She even thought like exclaiming, "No way!"
But knowing that Tatsuya would not answer her questions, she knew asking was useless. So Haruka chanted over and over in her mind, "Stop thinking about unnecessary things," and began to lead the way.
"It's here."
Haruka pointed out to Tatsuya the waterfall where the cave is located. There were no traces of anyone from FAIR in the area.
"It's behind there, right? I understand."
Immediately after Tatsuya spoke, Haruka felt as if a veil had been lifted from in front of her eyes.
Concurrently, she received a violent impact that nearly blew away her consciousness.
An otherworldly "beauty" had suddenly appeared beside Tatsuya. She didn't recognize her as a "beautiful woman" at that moment. It was just the impression of "beauty" that struck Haruka with overwhelming violence.
She wobbled and fell to her knees. Lucky for her it was not a rocky terrain below. Otherwise, had it been rocky or a stony riverbed, she might have injured her knees or, worse, broken a bone.
She would not have been as shocked if she had suddenly crossed paths, or if she had just seen her.
This woman, whose face she does not recognize, is not only unimpressive, she also hasn't left a lasting impression, so she can only be considered ordinary, however, after her appearance changed, she became a beautiful woman who embodies the beauty of the heavens. This was such a drastic change that it was hard to believe that she had not "changed" into a different person, but rather "switched" with someone else. The gap between then and now inflicted unbearable damage on Haruka's psyche.
"Are you all right?"
Miyuki briskly walked up to her with a worried look on her face. Her good looks were even more refined than before, yet this was certainly the Shiba Miyuki that Haruka had known. After staring intently for a few seconds and then blinking several times, Haruka finally regained her composure.
"Y-Yeah. I'm fine. Thank you."
She still stuttered, but managed to thank her properly before standing up with Miyuki's help.
Tatsuya, who had been watching Haruka's shameful behavior without showing any particular disapproval or sympathy, waited until Haruka stood up and said to Miyuki, "Miyuki, let's go."
"Ono-sensei, please wait here until you calm down."
Miyuki said this to Haruka with a soft smile.
Haruka just nodded her head, looking at Miyuki without realizing that she had been ordered to "Sit tight!"
Tatsuya illuminated the inside of the cave with the flashlight he had brought. The walls of the narrow cave showed signs of extensive digging.
This was no surprise to either Tatsuya or Miyuki. They had heard already that FAIR had been illegally digging for days.
Tatsuya's eyes fell on a spot on the wall. After staring at it for nearly ten seconds, he placed his right hand on the bare surface where a large gouge had been carved out.
Under Miyuki's watchful eye, Tatsuya's hand slowly moved into the wall. As indicated by the sand cascading down along the wall, he is not actually permeating the cave wall. He was specifying the coordinates for his magic, where then he began decomposing any soil that came in contact with his right hand.
Tatsuya proceeded like this until his right hand had reached just past his elbow into the wall, before slowly pulling it out. What he is holding in his hand is not a stone tablet. It's a small box. Laura and those from FAIR, who had focused their magical detection on the stone tablets, would not have noticed the presence of this small box.
The excavated hole is wider than the size of the box. With that in mind, the diameter of the hole was kept to a minimum so as to avoid the risk of a collapse.
The small box was a peculiar object made of stone. There were no visible joints other than just the lid. It's a rectangular shaped object that had been carved out of a large rock and bored out inside to form a box.
"What is this…?"
Inside the box was an equilateral octagonal stone slab. The slab is about a quarter of its maximum width in thickness. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to describe it as a "flat octagonal stone."
"A kind of Relic… I guess."
Tatsuya, who had been staring intently at the stone, took it out of the box and placed it in his palm.
And then he poured Psions into it from his palm.
It was a bold move, reckless even, to do so without even knowing the characteristics of the Relic, but it did not faze Miyuki, let alone Tatsuya. For her part, she blindly trusted Tatsuya.
Of course, Tatsuya decided to conduct the experiment after deeming that there was no significant risk. Having ascertained the structural information with his Elemental Sight and confirming that there are no radioactive elements or other hazardous elements present, he judged that if the need arose, he could simply break the material down to the elemental level.
The octagonal stone did not exhibit any particularly significant reaction. It merely moved just an inch or so in Tatsuya's palm.
"…It just moved, didn't it?"
"Yeah."
Noticing something, Tatsuya rotated in place about ninety degrees and repeated the same thing.
The octagonal stone moved in the exact same direction.
It moved objectively in the same direction, irrespective of the orientation of Tatsuya's body.
Tatsuya left the cave and repeated the experiment several times, always turning in a different direction.
And each time he repeated the experiment, the octagonal stone moved in the same direction as in the cave.
He returned the octagonal stone to its original location in the small stone box.
Haruka, who had been watching Tatsuya's experiment with curiosity, said nothing.
Neither about the experiment nor about the object he excavated from the cave.
"Thank you for your guidance, Ono-sensei."
After having returned to the vacant lot, Tatsuya bowed to Haruka under the dusk sky.
"It's trifling, but here is a fee for guiding us."
It was only when he said this, that it dawned on Haruka that they had never discussed compensation.
What he is handing over to her is an envelope containing a money card for high-value transactions.
Haruka's eyes bulged when she saw the amount.
"I don't think I need to mention this, but it includes hush-money as well."
Speechless, Haruka nodded at Tatsuya's words.
"Then, if you'll excuse us."
At the same time Tatsuya got into the driver's seat, Miyuki also got into the passenger seat.
The Air Car with the two on board drove off just like a regular self-propelled car.
Haruka was left watching in a daze.
She chose to think that it was just her imagination that the car disappeared in the darkness on the way.
Tatsuya drove the Air Car in the opposite direction from the town, and when there was no longer any signs of people or devices in sight, he had the Air Car lift into the sky.
"—Is this stone a kind of compass?"
Miyuki, who had been keeping silent, opened her mouth. She was holding the small box while Tatsuya was driving.
"It's a fair assumption, I suppose."
Tatsuya nodded while keeping his eyes forward.
"I'm fairly confident it points to a specific location. The question is, where to?"
The stone didn't move in any of the four directions: east, west, north, south, or northwest. It was moving in the north-northwest. Somewhere in Alaska, or beyond that to Siberia, maybe even further beyond that to Central Asia. Any of these possibilities seemed reasonable.
"If it's a compass, then there should be a map that goes with it…"
Tatsuya muttered to himself.
His own remark brought him back to Lena's words.
Lena had said that the "white stone tablet" could be a map…
◇ ◇ ◇
July 19th, local time, it was early dawn on the West Coast of the USNA.
Minoru descended to San Francisco where darkness still covered part of the city. He didn't appear on the shore of the lake like last time, or in some unpopulated suburb. He appeared in the metropolitan area, albeit far from the city center.
He had disguised himself into a shadow-like figure with [Parade]. His body was not entirely black. In fact, only a few areas were pitch black, and the rest of his body was stained in shades of black and dark gray. However, with only vague shades of light and dark, his features were indiscernible. Even the outlines of the body were only vaguely distinguishable.
It was possible to make out the position of his arms and legs. The position of the head as well.
But it was difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish his eyes, nose, mouth, or ears. Even more so when it comes to the fingers of his hand besides his thumb.
As such, Minoru entered FAIR's headquarters looking like an ominous ghost.
The three-story, rustic concrete building was securely locked. But no cylinder locks or electronic locks were an obstacle to Minoru. While unlocking them as easily as the key would — without even breaking them — he walked deeper and deeper into the building.
All of the security devices were disabled by [Electronic Golden Silkworm]. Even the security guards on duty, who perhaps could be magicians, were knocked out without any resistance. They were put to sleep without having noticed him, let alone when he had approached them. The difference in power was such that there was no need to injure, let alone kill, them.
Starting from the first floor, Minoru checked each room one by one. On the way, he came across some white stone tablets, which he poured Psions into and took pictures of. In total, there were 15 white stone tablets. Minoru left the room with just the pictures he had taken of them.
Minoru's objective is to seize the "Guru's Stone Tablet." All he needs is the black stone tablet.
The "Guru's Stone Tablet" was located in the center room on the third floor.
The members of FAIR weren't among his targets. Therefore, not even their leader Dean, who was in the room where the stone tablet lay, was in his sights.
Minoru wondered briefly why he was in his office during pre-dawn hours. But he soon dismissed this thought. Dean being present didn't concern Minoru.
The "Guru's Stone Tablet" was on a shelf behind Dean.
Minoru nonchalantly walked up to the stone tablet.
"Who-!? What are you!?"
As Minoru's soundless figure glided closer to him, Dean felt as if the Grim Reaper or the Devil had appeared in front of him.
Dean unleashed his magic.
It was not his trump card [Dionysus].
[Dionysus] is a magic to be used on a group of people, and moreover, it only has indirect offensive power.
The magic that Dean used, which is for attacking spirits, is said to be effective against spiritual beings — however, Dean himself is unsure whether or not what he is seeing in front of him is a spiritual being or not.
Minoru, however, possesses a magic-resistance ability that not even the magic of parasitized star-class members of Stars who specialized in Mental-Interference Type Magic, namely Major Kevin Antares and First Lieutenant Elijah Sargas, would be able to overcome. For someone like Dean, who has never even appeared on Stars' scouting roster, there is no way that the magic he used, which isn't even his trump card, would stand a chance against Minoru.
Minoru walked past Dean, took the "Guru's Stone Tablet," and left the room at a leisurely pace.
Dean looked at the back of the shadowed figure walking away, trembling in humiliation.
Minoru did not even put Dean to sleep.
Laura was awakened by the news of the infiltration of the headquarters and rushed to Dean's side.
She found Dean not in his chair but on the floor, holding his head in his hands with a fixed look in his eyes.
"My lord! What happened?!"
Dean looked up sluggishly and pointed to the shelf behind him with the motions of an old man.
"The 'Guru's Stone Tablet' has been taken…"
Dean's voice was a mixture of dejection, indignation, and hatred.
Laura rushed over to dean, dropping to her knees, meeting him at eye level, and shook his shoulders vigorously.
"It's not a problem, my lord! [Babel] is already inside me. The stone tablet is an empty shell, nothing more. There is no need to worry about it having been taken away!"
"I see. A shell…"
"Yes, my lord."
"No harm done?"
"None, my lord."
"So there's nothing to worry about?"
"Exactly."
"I see… how can that be!?"
All of a sudden, Dean yelled in a fierce voice.
Laura was pushed away and lay sprawled on the floor.
"My lord…?"
Laura looked up at Dean, who was standing up, her eyes clinging to him.
"The hell if I don't have to worry about it, after being humiliated like that! Bastard… you'll pay for this! I will show you how things work, you'll see!"
Dean's fury was so intense that there was not a trace of the shadow of a frail old man left in him.
"Laura, you!"
"Aaah!"
Dean roughly grabbed Laura by her hair.
"You're going to use your witchcraft to find out who stole it! You'd better, or else!"
"Ye-Yes, my lord."
Gasping at the pain of being grabbed by her hair and being swung around, Laura was neither angry nor frightened by Dean's outburst, but rather relieved.
◇ ◇ ◇
On the morning of July 19th. FAIR headquarters was raided by the San Francisco municipal police.
The police had asked for backup from the magician security force "Wiz Guard" just in case, and raided the building.
The resistance of the members proved to be fierce. It ended with casualties on both sides, with the police arresting all of the remaining members.
However, they were unable to find the leader, Rocky Dean, and the sub-leader, Laura Simon, anywhere along the way.
Tatsuya and Miyuki learned of this at noon the same day at Beale Air Force Base. JJ himself came aboard the military transport plane awaiting takeoff and relayed the news of Dean's escape.
"What of the sub-leader, Laura Simon, were you able to capture her?"
Tatsuya was not so much concerned about Dean as he was about Laura.
"No, their sub-leader, Simon, seems to have also escaped… is she of more importance?"
JJ probed him with shrewd eyes.
"Laura Simon is a 'witch,' isn't she? I'm betting it was her knowledge in that area, that enabled them to make use of the 'Guru's Stone Tablet.'"
Since he didn't see the need to hide it, Tatsuya frankly disclosed his speculation.
"I see… I'll put in a word with the police to keep a vigilant eye out for Laura Simon."
"Please let me know if you find anything out.
"Yes, of course."
With that, JJ stepped off the military transport plane.
Shortly thereafter, the military transport plane carrying Tatsuya, Miyuki, and the Air Car took off for the Western Pacific Ocean.
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In the western Pacific Ocean lies the USNA Navy's massive aircraft carrier, the [Independence].
It was around 15:00 JST on July 20th when a small-sized military transport plane departing from Beale Air Force Base on the West Coast landed on its flight deck.
Tatsuya and Miyuki descended from the military transport plane while in the Air Car, and from there they went straight across the flight deck and plunged into the sea.
Naturally, the crew of the aircraft carrier panicked, but the captain had previously been notified about the self-propelled car and the identity of its occupants, so he was able to quickly quell the commotion.
Moving underwater until they were far enough away from the aircraft carrier and its naval convoy, it then emerged and flew through the air.
It submerged once again just outside Japan's territorial waters, and the Air Car driven by Tatsuya arrived at Miyaki-shima shortly after 17:00 on the 20th.
Then, at 20:00 on the same night.
On the top floor of the Yotsuba Family building on Miyaki-shima, which Tatsuya and his family use as their home while on the island, Tatsuya, Miyuki, Lina, as well as Minoru and Minami were all present.
"Tatsuya-san, here it is. I'm pretty sure this is the 'Guru's Stone Tablet.'"
Minoru returned to the "Takachiho" after his infiltration of FAIR's headquarters with the black stone tablet he seized, and the photos he took of the white stone tablets. And now, he had been called by Tatsuya to come down to Miyaki-shima with Minami.
"Thank you for your help. I can't draw any conclusions without a careful examination, but I'm sure this is the correct stone tablet."
"What's this Guru tablet?"
Lina, the only one not familiar with the details, asked from the sideline.
Lina hadn't been called to come over by Tatsuya. When she heard that Miyuki had returned, she had Hyougo pilot the VTOL and had him fly in from Chofu.
"It's an artifact that records magic and has the capability of imparting it to a magister."
"Oh, a 'Guru,' like the guys who preach things, I get it… Wait, it can really do that!?"
Lina exclaimed, giving a flashy reaction with her facial expressions and gestures. No one present thought that her surprise was an exaggeration. That's about the extent of how preposterous the "Guru's Stone Tablet" was.
"It seems it can. Though, I have to see whether or not it is definitely true."
"I can assist you with that, if you need."
Minoru offered with a glint in his eyes.
He, too, is a scholar by nature.
"That's good. Considering how this stone tablet must use a Mental-Interference Type Magic that belongs to the system of Ancient Magic. It'll be a great help to have your cooperation, Minoru."
"Yes, by all means. …By the way, here are the photos of the white stone tablets…"
"What do you take from it?"
Judging from Minoru's expression, Tatsuya guessed that he had found some kind of lead.
Minoru exchanged glances with Minami.
Minami gave Minoru a nod of encouragement.
"You may think this is silly, but…"
Apparently, the conclusion Minoru had reached was something rather preposterous.
Tatsuya as well as Miyuki looked at Minoru, who was hesitating to speak, prompting him to say something.
"Can you see the writing on a part of the stone tablet in this photo?"
Minoru singled out one image file and zoomed in on a part of it on the display.
That being said, Tatsuya, Miyuki and Lina peered simultaneously at the tablet screen.
"…Indeed. It looks like Sanskrit characters, doesn't it?"
"Yeah. I thought so too, so I had Takachiho's AI decipher it. The results show that it is definitely an archaic form of Sanskrit."
"And the text?"
"—[On the north bank of the Sita River, which originates from Lake Manasarovar at the foot of Mt. Kailash.]"
"…Isn't that the same as the description of the location of the Shambhala in the Kālacakra Tantra of Tibetan Buddhism?"
"…Are you also familiar with it? As expected of Tatsuya-san."
Minoru was genuinely surprised.
"I recognized it because I had dabbled in Tantra in the process of learning Ancient Magic, but I didn't think that Tatsuya-san, being a Modern Magician, would be acquainted with it…"
"I've only skimmed a few overview books on Tibetan Buddhism. I've never studied Tantras per se."
"No, it's still amazing that you can remember all that."
All the ladies nodded in agreement to Minoru's words with widened eyes. Miyuki was so surprised that she even forgot to express her usual words of praise.
"—I think the white stone tablet may be a map to Shambhala."
Minoru adjusted his tone and began to explain how he reached such a conclusion.
"…Isn't Shambhala just a legend?"
One could tell from Lina's tone of voice that she hadn't recovered yet from being surprised.
"The Shambhala that we know of is what has been passed down from legends. But I believe that, behind the legend, there may have existed an ancient, highly magical civilized country. It could have been the civilization that manufactured the Relics, such as Antinite, and the 'Guru's Stone Tablet.'"
"—That sounds like a reasonable conclusion."
Tatsuya agreed with Minoru in a grave tone.
"Tatsuya-sama, let's check it out!"
Miyuki vigorously suggested this to Tatsuya.
"Miyuki, check what… Shambhala?"
"Yes, let's look for Shambhala."
Lina asked dumbfounded, to which Miyuki answered with an earnest conviction.
"But there is a problem…"
And, this is when Minoru interjected with a somber voice.
"Even if there is a map visible on the surface of the white stone tablet, it is completely different from any modern day layout. Without a compass or something of the sort to help us pinpoint our location on the map, it would be difficult to even get a rough idea of where to go."
At the mention of the word "compass," Miyuki exclaimed, "Tatsuya-sama!?"
"Miyuki-san?"
"Miyuki?"
Minoru and Lina respectively asked back quizzically, with Minami also giving Miyuki a quizzical look.
"Actually, there is something I got at Mt. Shasta before we came back to Japan."
The answer came from Tatsuya.
Minoru, Lina, and Minami's gazes were drawn to the small box he placed on the table.
"This box was formed by using a similar technique to that of Decomposition Magic."
Hearing this remark, Miyuki stared at the stone box once again.
"And, here's the thing that was inside of it."
Tatsuya opened the lid and took out the octagonal stone.
He placed it on his palm and held it up for them all to see.
When all eyes were on him, Tatsuya poured Psions into the stone.
The stone moved about two centimeters more than in the experiments he conducted at Mt. Shasta.
West-northwest, in the direction of Central Asia.
"Miyuki and I believe this Relic might be a compass."
Silence reigned in the room.
The silence itself was oppressive, but the eyes of the four others, with the exception of Tatsuya, shone with anticipation.
〈To be continued〉
@adm Quando será lançado o novo capítulo?