Mr. Magical Girl

Chapter: 154. Mobilization Training – Mid to Late Stage

A week has passed.

As is common with most mobilization training,

this one passed by uneventfully.

A monotonous routine of training and patrols,

with no incidents or accidents.

In other words, it was peaceful.

There was no sudden need to jump out of bed,

and no requirement to stay awake for a thirty-second standby.

Instead, something was increasing…

“Haram oppa! Please spar with me! This time, I’ll win against Smil!”

“Please grant me your teachings, great one!”

It turned into an unexpected event promoting camaraderie among the troops.

How did it come to this?

Sighing, all I got back was the clamor of my comrades and the lukewarm stares of my students.

At first, it was just a simple sparring match.

A brief request for a duel that came during training with my students.

I knocked them down with my bare hands, and then they started sticking to me, asking for teachings.

Perhaps it was their competitive spirit.

Suddenly, even Chris decided to join in, creating this strange social gathering.

“So, you see, I’m busy raising students!”

“That’s a lie! Just yesterday, you were dozing off while letting your students have free sparring…”

“How did you find out?”

Surely those noisy guys weren’t around yesterday?

“Smil saw it from the sky!”

So it was you.

Well, to be honest, I didn’t pay much attention to every bird floating in the sky.

It was a big oversight.

“Please grant me your teachings!”

“Teachings!”

Teachings, Chris.

Hoo.

Letting out a sigh, I looked up at the sky.

The sun was bright, and its light was warm.

I was thinking of using the weather as an excuse to escape,

but even Mother Nature blocked my escape route…

There was no way out.

“Time is precious, so let’s all attack at once!”

I raised my hammer, got into position,

and clashed with the rushing comrades.

Today passed like any other day, far from boredom.

I woke up, feeling the pulse of mana.

To be exact, it wasn’t so much waking up as it was opening my senses.

Since coming here, insomnia had tormented me.

I still can’t sleep easily while others are around, which I can’t even understand.

I was fine back in Nanjido. Perhaps it was the influence of the Otherworld’s Power there, but I could sleep without a thought.

Looking back, that overwhelming sleepiness probably signified my mind getting sucked in, but thanks to that, even with students and kids around, I could sleep soundly without insomnia.

It’s a cruel twist of fate.

With a short, sardonic smile, I slipped out of bed.

I turned my head to assess the surroundings, checking on my students and Chris.

However, only shallow breaths were escaping their sleeping forms.

Looks like they’re unaffected by this.

Next, I turned my gaze to the spot where since I arrived, he had always been.

In the very center of the lodging, there was a small table everyone shared.

Sitting on it, swinging his short legs was that.

Coincidentally, as I turned my gaze, moonlight descended upon the table.

However, only the table shimmering in the light remained, and I couldn’t find the teddy bear that had always sat there like a decorative item since I got here.

Feeling the unique mana waves of the mascot, I wondered if Unho had come my way,

but it seemed to be someone else.

Hmm. For the mascot that had always remained still to be absent.

Did something related to Chris happen?

Or perhaps a betrayal or something of the sort?

Of course, all this could simply be unnecessary agitation.

They might have just gone out like Unho to buy snacks.

Then what should I do?

I fell into a brief moment of contemplation,

and then I came out.

…Should I go look for them?

Soon, the answer came.

In any case, sleep had already become beyond my selection.

That sleepy haze had long since evaporated.

Even so, there are no clues.

I can’t just rummage through this entire barrier looking for that guy…

Just as I was lost in those worries for a moment.

Vrum! Vrum!

A faint wave of power spread out.

The power had been so weakened that it couldn’t be detected with precision instruments, resembling the mana wave I felt earlier.

…If I follow that.

It’s weak, but the direction it’s spreading in isn’t unnoticeable.

Thinking that, I opened the door to follow the mana.

Creeeak!

The loud creaking of the hinges pierced through the night’s tranquility.

I had forgotten so many times, but this time, I made a mental note to fetch some oil for the hinges.

Again, the mana waves stirred surrounding area.

With the same intensity and direction.

Let’s see… the wave type seems to be circular…

Considering the intervals, it seems there’s a need for continuous release.

My ability to detect the power from the Otherworld was so dull that I could just about read the presence and rough size of the power,

but if I caught the same energy multiple times, I could at least read this much.

So what is it that this guy is attempting with such a release of mana?

If only I could read the equations embedded in the mana like Unho, I’d figure it out immediately.

But I don’t have that ability.

Therefore, I had to find a roughly similar form based on my experiences.

With that in mind, I began moving toward the direction of the waves.

Thoughts can be formed while moving.

Thud. Thud.

My footsteps echoed down the dark corridor.

But that wasn’t the only sound around me.

Light and sounds leaking from the gaps in the doors.

Although night has grown deep, a sense of liveliness emanated from the lodging.

It was only natural.

Although mobilization training resembled military actions, the summoned heroes weren’t obliged to obey orders like soldiers or adhere to a schedule.

They patrolled casually, lending their power during combat, and as long as they didn’t run away, the Association had no intention of restraining their freedom.

Given such circumstances, it was rare to find those, like us, who adhered strictly to a timetable.

It unsettled me.

I knew why this environment was created.

The trauma we’d faced when treated like soldiers.

Thus, heroes became the Super Underlings.

So I understood that much.

However.

It’s only been 2-3 weeks, can’t they adhere to some rules just for that time?

Having the freedom to act is nice, but they lack awareness.

If a large-scale invasion were to occur and the Great Barrier were under attack.

They should realize that they would become the first line of protection for humanity.

Such thoughts kept circling my mind.

When I participated in mobilization training last year, I didn’t even consider such things.

Back then, I had no thoughts at all.

Alone, in the lodging, I kept my mouth shut, silently following the schedule.

I was like a dead man, having no interest in the actions of others.

Thud. Thud.

I passed the lodging, the laughter of others fading away,

and the long corridor filled only with the sound of my footsteps heading up the stairs.

The mana wave penetrating through my body began to pour down from above.

Is it up?

I followed the ripple, climbing the stairs.

Then, breaking through the obstruction of light from the lodging, I picked up on the thoughts I had intended to pursue long before.

Weak mana concentrated into the orb form, regularly emitting power.

The first thought that came to mind was detection-type magic; creating maps, finding specific objects, or marking enemies nearby like a radar.

This isn’t particularly dangerous. It’s just the action of mapping out situations to respond to all circumstances, often seen in those with obsessive cleanliness.

Of course, that’s assuming that guy isn’t a traitor.

There’s also a possibility he’s gathering information to summon and command enemies.

The next type of magic that came to mind was a spell used to call someone.

It can summon a single target or disseminate widely to gather armies.

In any case, as I don’t know the exact location of the target, something akin to a siren is used to summon, even if it consumes more power.

If it’s this kind of magic, big trouble could happen.

He could be summoning numerous forces from beyond the Great Barrier.

A traitor mascot.

A being with great mana capable of serving as a commanding entity.

Of course, this could also be mere paranoia.

Thud. Thud.

As I ascended the stairs, I continued weaving my thoughts.

Forming altars. Reality manipulation. Wide-range illusions. Mental manipulation. Planting seeds.

Such examples flickered through my mind, leaving one final thought lingering.

To create a hole.

To be precise, such waves don’t occur when immersing a hole.

When artificially creating a hole, one would need to concentrate powerful energy, so such waves wouldn’t occur.

But the hole itself could emit such waves.

If that’s the case…

Swallow.

Was it because of my past experiences?

I gulped, looking at the door.

The closed door leading up toward the Great Barrier.

…I guess I could just ask directly.

Wielding my hammer for unforeseen circumstances, I turned the handle.

The door opened.

Pale moonlight flooded in.

Perhaps it’s because there were no other light sources around,

but the barrier shimmering under the bright moonlight resembled daylight.

And there stood that teddy bear.

Upon the door opening, the blue teddy bear stared at me intently.

“I have been waiting.”

At the teddy bear’s greeting.

“…What were you doing?”

I raised my hammer, tossing out the question.

“Nothing… well, saying that would create a doubt, wouldn’t it?”

So brazen.

“Ha! Would you believe it? A mascot lets its magic girl be, while emitting widespread mana waves but says it’s doing nothing?”

With the bear’s audacity, I raised my hand and aimed my hammer.

“Of course, I wouldn’t believe you. But, it doesn’t matter. My objective has been achieved.”

Objective? Already achieved?

That’s ominous. What on earth…

…I’ll ask again. What have you done?”

“I have called someone.”

Calling magic.

In that case, who’s the target?

“Who is it?”

“Hero Haram Lee. It’s you.”

The absurd words flowed from the teddy bear.

I paused, momentarily surprised by the ridiculousness.

…That’s nonsense.

Then, what’s the need for these complex methods?

You could simply have caught me in the lodging and talked.

“It’s a simple excuse. I had no intention of using strength against a mascot.”

I took my stance.

If even slightly the calculations deviate,

I’ll smash that fur ball into pieces.

“I don’t mind if you don’t believe me. I understand that it’s hard to believe I went through such trouble to call someone secretly.”

Yeah. So it’s an excuse.

I dug my heels in, ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.

“However, to break away from the gaze at the end and merge into this story, a considerable amount of formality and price is required.”

Krzzzt.

The moment the teddy bear spilled those words,

it shook with static noise.

…What did you just say?”

I shot the question, maintaining my posture.

That’s how unbelievable the opponent’s words were.

“I said the end.”

Krzzzt.

With a crackling sound,

the teddy bear’s form changed.

From being a fluffy teddy bear,

it morphed into a grotesque corpse-like bear made of flesh and muscle.

Krzzzt.

“It seems I can’t deceive you any longer.

You may find it hard to believe, but I have come to deliver a message to you. Though meeting like this is purely coincidental.”

“…Go on.”

Krzzzt.

The now transformed creature opened its mouth.

“The queen of the magic kingdom is waiting for you. The doors have opened; let’s show ourselves. Black One.”

Krzzzt.

Before I knew it, the bright moonlight vanished,

and only the darkness of the night surrounded us.

It was such a night.

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