Chapter 20: V2C5 – Vetheris Attacks !

Akito Harada:

"Hey Yoru, I should probably go help them out, right?"

"Do what you want."

"Then, I'll do that and make sure no one finds out about my identity."

"I'll trust you on that."

Akito hastily paced down the same path Ai and the heroes did before.

"Isekai returnees should be fine, so I think I should prioritize Ai first."

"Why don't you [Transform]?"

"Well, then the heroes might freak out and come attacking me because of my presence. They might even connect me with Vetheris again because they said that the mana that sickly boy was affected by was his work. I'd rather wait until necessary."

"But, what can you do in Akito form?"

"I have [Core Grenades] and [Hexad Barrier], I should be fine."

"I sure hope that's the case."

"Oh, we arrived...huh? What's that guy doing to Ai?"

Akito looked down to the place where the two fell. After rushing down by breaking his fall with [Hexad Barrier], he approached and with a *slam*, decked Keito across the face without asking questions.

---

Ai Nakano POV:

"Huh?"

Keito looked up unfazed to see another boy holding his hand with a pained expression after punching something unexpectedly hard. I know that boy, Akito Harada. Did he come out of concern for me? He should know that [Magical Girls] can handle themselves though.

Then, I saw his eyes twinkle for a moment and he began whispering to himself. After seemingly making a decision, he bit his lower lip. What is he doing? I can't wait to see what secrets he holds~

[Core Grenade: Darkness]

The light was sucked from the surrounding area and I couldn't see Akito anymore. Is this his work? Or Keito who became strangely strong and wild? Those 7 were also acting suspiciously, going on about a curse and Vetheris...what's going on?

With a loud *bang*, I heard the sounds of both of them fleeing the scene. When the darkness wore off, I got up from the empty space on the ground to see neither Keito nor Akito in my sight.

"I'm concerned about Harada-kun, but the [Curse] comes first. This is my duty as a [Magical Girl]."

Ai rushed to the sight of the [Curse] again regretfully, while swearing she would come back for Akito immediately after. But there was a nagging piece in the back of her mind that said Akito would be just fine.

---

Hero Party:

[Heavenly Armament] !

The glowing sword of holy light pierced the spider as it danced midair. 

"What a troublesome guy...it was hard to get a hit. That slash wasn't even fatal."

[Arog] got up again even after being cut with burning power. It has been spreading its webbing all over the battlefield, limiting the group's movement.

[Movement Barrier]

[Fire Spear]

[Light Slash]

[Wind Blade]

The 7 began throwing spells at the frozen spider and tore its body to shreds after a few seconds. It was faster and avoided attacks, so its defense was lacking, simple balance for creatures. After finally defeating it completely, the webbing, blood, and corpse of [Arog] in the halls dissipated into the air as released mana, since the familiar of Vetheris is a summoned beast with mana. With this mechanic, Vetheris can respawn it, but after the heroes dealt with it, probably not for a while. 

"Alright, we're all going to help Nakano-san. We also need to dispel the [Berserk Curse] on that student too...and interrogate him for clues after that."

"True, let's go immediately."

The heroes who finished off Vetheris's servant increased their speed.

---

Akito Harada:

[Transform]

"Alright you crazy...time for you to regain yourself!"

I, Aki, enhanced myself with mana and rushed to him strikingly after taking us to a place not visible by Ai. I broke through his front defenses like child's play. Using a thin coat of mana, I cloaked myself in darkness so that no one could see me but my vision wasn't obscured. The [Magical Girl Aki] showing up here would be strange and I am wearing the male uniform...

"Yoru, here I go."

"Ou."

I grabbed Keito's cursed arm which was emanating dark mana from what I could see with my mana perception. 

[Mana Drain]

While forcing Keito to the ground with [Gravity Magic], I drained the cursed mana in his arm. After a few seconds, he fell from exhaustion and lay unconscious on the ground.

"There, that should get rid of the power to this formation...What did the heroes call it, the [Berserk Curse]? How scary. Anyways, we just sucked the fuel from the formation so how do we actually get rid of it?"

"Actually, the formation itself was made of mana and loosely stuck on unlike engraved ones, so you completely erased it. But, that formula...is definitely from another world. It's too genius for the Earthlings who're ignorant of mana and our civilization which has no one that can use it. I've memorized it."

"Cool...does that mean I can learn how to use it?"

"This formation is only on the receiving end of a process so the best I could do with this is apply it to yourself or another person who undergoes a procedure by me which is not happening."

A spell that casts a certain special effect on another can be accomplished with a magic formation that makes another magic formation occur on the target, like this curse. It's a way of magic formatting from [Orvinus], unknown to this universe. Also, 'Curse' not [Curse]. Aki and Yoru do not know this.

"That does sound useless. I don't want to go mad like this guy here, well, he might've been mad before with how he was looking at Ai."

"Still, I'll keep this formation sample as research. I might be able to modify it."

"That reminds me now, did you get the formations of the heroes too from that time we clashed a bit...?"

"No, those formations were engraved and hidden further within themselves. To see them properly, I'd probably need to inspect them thoroughly while they don't move."

"Is that so?"

Yoru and I lightly talked with the berserker Keito dealt with. Then I realized,

"I need to go help Ai!"

I turned around to go after her but...there stood 7 figures glaring at me accusingly.

---

Hero Party:

After defeating [Arog], the group ran through to the place where they sensed Ai and Keito were previously...but...

"I feel it...the [Ethereal Princess of Darkness Aki] is here."

"Rino...what? At our school...that shouldn't be reasonably possible. Unless she goes to our school? No, then we would've heard about her already. So, why is she here?"

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"...maybe she's connected to Vetheris after all and is helping with the attack on us."

"We don't know that yet!"

As the heroes arrived and stopped to see what was going on at the scene, they found Keito's unconscious body and Aki cloaked in menacing blackness standing above him.

"Oi--"

Ryosuke began to call out...

"Wait Ryosuke...the curse from that student has been lifted."

"Hmm? How in the world...only Satomi should be able to cleanse curses with [Dispel]."

"I don't know how she did it, but because she rid the curse, she might be our ally."

Aki turned around to see the on-guard party. Then,

[Core Grenade: Light]

She fled before they could say a word. As they sorted out what just happened, the dumbfounded Rino exclaimed,

"I'm becoming more and more sure that she isn't our enemy or a servant of Vetheris. That sinister mana is a surprise but it could be her special power as a [Magical Girl], you never know."

"So, you're just going to let her get away?"

"We can't even chase her idiot."

"I'm even more confused now...what kind of powers does Aki have...who is she..."

---

Akito Harada:

After running from the heroes, I used [Transform] again and Yoru covered my small mana amount as Akito to deter Rino's detection. As I quietly slipped in with the students who were evacuating, who I ran to quickly in the time the [Core Grenade] was in effect...

"That was eventful, Yoru. So, you said that the [Curse] was defeated already right? Good job hero team and Ai. I guess the threat is gone."

"Yeah, it felt a tad different from a [Curse] but I guess there will be variations from time to time."

"...Anyways, I hope that Ayame and her friends will be able to trust me as Aki...they were still being overly vigilant. I think there's progress being made since I wasn't instantly attacked though."

"You did instantly flee."

"I'm just cautious. I don't want a fight breaking out and tearing up the school."

"Reasonable. So anyway, that curse is probably the work of that [Demon Lord] Vetheris the heroes were on about."

"Yeah, what a weird formation..."

Their conversation was cut off by a sudden interruption.

"Harada-kun, are you okay!?"

"I'm okay..."

"Everything suddenly went black...sorry I left you there."

"No, it's okay since I'm fine. I managed to run away after he blinded us with darkness."

"I knew you'd be fine...probably."

"Hm? You did?"

"So, was that darkness you? Did you take out Watanabe-kun?"

"HUH!? What are you on about?"

"Hohoho, act dumb all you want but I know your hiding something."

Does she know I'm Aki!?!?

"Uhh, nope your completely wrong and I'm not hiding anything at all."

Yoru whispered in his ear...

"You're a terrible liar Akito."

"Oh shut up."

Ai responded blankly,

"Hmm...if that's what you insist."

Did she actually believe me? Probably not...I avoided Ai's piercing gaze into my face as we walked with the crowd even though the threat had already been neutralized. Really, my 2nd-year of high school is going to be a long one.

---

Keito Watanabe:

Keito opened his eyes tiredly and stared up at the 7 figures who had him against a wall.

"Where is the one who cast the [Berserk Curse] on you?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"You went after Nakano-san and was defeated by the [Magical Girl Aki] who lifted the curse."

"W-Wait stop! I have no idea what you're on about!"

"He doesn't seem to be lying..."

"I see...so he was in such a crazed state that he doesn't remember it. It is a [Demon Lord]'s curse after all..."

"What have you been on about this entire time? I don't get it..."

"Ryosuke, leave him be, he doesn't remember anything so we don't need to deal with him anymore."

"True."

"Wait tell me! What happened!?"

The heroes coldly denied his pleas and began going to the place where the students gathered...

"Vetheris...your plan has failed. But, with no clues in our hands...we can't reach you...sh*t."

---

[Demon Lord] Vetheris:

"The curse was dispelled and [Arog] was defeated nearly instantly...I thought that the heroes had lost power when travelling to this world like me!? No, calm down. Even if they still have their powers...I can just regain my old ones and fight them head-on. Yes...the heroes don't stand a chance. Prepare yourselves...I won't give you time to rest!"

"..."

---

To recap, the berserked idol fan Keito Watanabe and Vetheris's familiar [Arog] attacked the high school simultaneously causing an evacuation. Ai was attacked by Keito but was saved by Akito transforming into Aki (not seen). The heroes fought [Arog] and won, quickly rushing to the side of Ai to dispel the curse on Keito. They arrived to see Aki who immediately fled and so they interrogated the defeated Keito finding no leads. In the group of evacuating students, Akito and Ai met again where Ai implied Akito's irregularity smugly. The [Demon Lord]'s attack ended in failure.

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