Chapter 160: A ray of hope
“Wow, that’s amazing. I’ve never seen a demon that didn’t fall apart! I guess I underestimated it.”
Alberto raised his left hand and pointed it at me. On his fingers are four red rings, shimmering in a bewitching glow.
–Was that a magic-enhancing weapon?
I’m afraid you’re gonna have to go all out. Do you think this magic will work?”
The ground beneath Yuma’s feet starts to glow red. A chill runs down his back, and his instincts as a living creature warns him of the greatest danger.
–Oh, no! If I get hit by one of these…
“–eruptions, explosions, volcanoes…”
The ground exploded, and a fierce flame shot up into the sky. The fire columns, which did not seem to dissipate easily, told of the tremendous power of the explosion.
The ground is gouged out, and fire and smoke spread throughout the area.
It’s over. Albert.”
Mia walked up to him and asked. Alberto said “No…” and stared at the place where the smoke was rising.
Mia looks at him too, and the smoke is slowly clearing.
As they gazed ahead, they saw an unexpected sight.
“Oh, no… Nah…”
Mia opens her mouth in surprise. A black figure emerges from the smoke. The black armor is standing in a defensive posture.
There were many blue streaks running down its body, and its whole body was pale and shining.
Is that… Water Magic?”
Mia reacted to Alberto’s comment with “What? Mia reacted.
The black armour withstands the explosion and backsteps, then runs away.
After him! Don’t let him get away!
Mia gives instructions to the ‶Prometheus‶ members lurking around her.
The plan to surround the black armor and take it down with Mia and Alberto has failed completely. Mia looks at Alberto, trying not to be upset.
“If he used the ‘Water Demon Technique’, does that mean he’s a ‘Blue Dungeon’ demon and not a black one?”
“…. No.”
Alberto looks in the direction the black armor went.
“That ‶Mana‶feeling is definitely a ‘Black Dungeon’ demon. Nonetheless, the ‶Water Magic‶ that was poured over his entire body greatly weakened the power of the flames.”
That’s impossible! It’s unprecedented for a demon to use a different kind of magic!”
Alberto dropped his eyes and looked silently to his left.
“… Maybe we’re seeing things for the first time.”
Are you watching me? Watching what?
Mia looked at him doubtfully, but Alberto looked up and his mouth relaxed.
“This is a yet-to-be-identified… The King King.”
‘Please take a look! Metropolitan Road 311 Beltway 8 is closed to traffic and a section of Heiwadai and Kitamachi has been declared off-limits by the police. The government has announced that a search has been underway for the black armor. They are currently responding to take down the Seeker, including the Seeker from overseas…”
Kanzaki, who was watching the news on his phone, clicks his tongue.
We were heading for Heiwadai by car, but we couldn’t make any progress due to the chaos of the road network.
“Shit! Would it be faster to run?”
Kanzaki pulls the jeep over to the shoulder of the road, assembles the hexagonal cudgel from his bag, and gets out of the vehicle. He pulls out his phone and makes a call.
Aisha! It’s me.
‘… Where are you?
This is where Yuma was last seen. He’s heading towards downtown Nerima.
The police had barricaded the road ahead of where Kanzaki was running. When he gets close, a young man says, “You can’t come in here! a young male policeman calls out to him.
I’m an explorer seeker. I’m coming in.
Kanzaki showed the officer his license card and forced his way through the barricade tape.
Only high-ranking Seekers are allowed in here… so the cop tries to stop him. The policeman tries to stop him in a hurry.
But Kanzaki forces his way through and runs towards the center of the city.
I can hear the impact in the distance.
We’re in a lockdown. We’re already in the crossfire.
Aisha, on the other end of the line, lets out an uncomfortable sigh.
”It can’t be helped. Bring Yuma-kun to my laboratory somehow.”
“Is that going to help?”
‘I’ve prepared a simple mana-blocking device. Once you’re inside it, you won’t be detected and found.”
Like that sauna room you were building the other day?
‘That’s right. Once inside, even if it’s ‶metallized‶, it won’t leak mana. Hopefully we can wind up the Seekers of the Pursuer.’
“Wait a minute! If you were making that thing, did you know we were going to use Hell Garm to find Yuuma?
‘I wasn’t sure. I just thought it was a possibility. I didn’t think he’d actually do it.
Kanzaki’s irritation grows at the mention of Aisha’s story.
“If we mess up, civilians could die! “You’re crazy to use such a dangerous method… Are you crazy?
He crosses the roadway at a short run. The road is closed and there seems to be no cars or people on the road.
‘Normally they wouldn’t do that. Even if the people on the ground think about it, they will be stopped at the top. The fact that it was approved shows that there is a political agenda.
“What? “Political considerations.”
Kanzaki turns the corner of the building and heads towards the sound. The position of the impact has changed slightly. It seems to be moving.
‘The Iwaki administration’s approval ratings are down right now. They want to boost their ratings for the next upper house election.’
“Is that why you’re so intent on defeating the Black Armor?”
”We’ve talked about the dangers of black demons for a long time. Even if there’s damage, I thought that defeating the black armour would boost my approval rating.”
“That’s what this is all about? You’re a mess!”
I see a figure across the street. It’s probably an explorer seeker.
”Anyway, get in touch with Yuma somehow! Tell him to come to me.”
“I know! You’re so easy to say… I’ll figure it out!”
Kanzaki hangs up his phone. Yuma’s phone is disconnected no matter how many times he tries to call. I guess the ‘metallization’ is causing communication problems.
He’s spreading a lot of mana around. I guess it’s to be expected.
Kanzaki let out a short breath and then walked in the direction the Seeker Seekers were running.
Fire bursts out in front of us. Seeker Seekers are coming towards you, using magic. A dozen or so come from the main street, and a few more from the street to your left.
–Damn it!
Yuma turned right and started running.
“Do we force our way through, even if it’s a little rough?”
As I was thinking about this, I saw a number of figures coming out from the corner of the building on my right.
I’m getting tired of these Seekers… but I recognize them.
That was…
Tennoji, Taizen, and the other members of the Thunder Beast’s Roar. And…
“Louie!”
A familiar face from childhood is staring at us in a battlesuit.
