My heart is pounding.
I can’t survive if I don’t run.
They say humans can accomplish a certain degree of things if they have a sense of purpose.
Whether it’s to earn money or to win over a woman they like, the reasons vary from person to person.
If your life is on the line, wouldn’t anyone give it their all?
A dry “bang” sound echoes from behind me.
A sharp sound tears through the wind my ears pick up.
I feel with my skin that multiple small things are flying towards me.
I’m aware that I’m in a chase scene that would make Hollywood proud.
“I was grazed just now! Hey! Gun and Sword Law, do your job!!”
Run, jump, sometimes hide behind things, then burst out again, I’m trying my best not to stay in one place.
“Are you trying to get yourself killed?!”
And to disrupt the enemy’s actions, I throw whatever is easy to grab, like strange pots and ornaments.
The objects that shoot out those projectiles, where did the phrase “peaceful country, Japan” disappear to? Thinking it’s out of place that even this kind of thing happens in the dark side of Japan, I re-energize my legs, which were about to falter.
I know it’s dangerous to stop, which is why my mother and I keep running.
“Hahaha! I can still do it, can’t I? I’m being chased by so many men!”
“Now’s not the time to be laughing, Mother! I ran along with the surge, but do you have a plan?”
“Of course not! Now that we’re here, I’m just going to fight everyone I meet!”
“I knew it!”
We’re running through a gunfight like something out of a mafia or spy movie.
If a person were to break into a place like this and be caught with a gun pointed at them, it’s only natural to run.
And it’s also inevitable to be chased, as those pointing guns at you won’t let you get away.
My mother cheerfully dodges the occasional bullets with her innate intuition, and I, with my sharpened five senses, deal with them by sensing the enemy’s killing intent and avoiding their lines of fire. So far, we’re unharmed, but I’d really appreciate it if we didn’t have to endure this for long.
It’s obvious we’ll eventually be caught just by running around normally.
If that’s the case, I have to do something.
“Jiro, cut the rope on that tent over there.”
“Got it, here I go!”
What am I going to do?
It’s obvious, if we’re outnumbered, all we have is guerilla warfare.
For now, I’ll find any flimsy-looking structures and knock them down to obstruct them.
“Mother, let’s climb those materials over there and escape upwards.”
“You got it! Ugh! I’m definitely going to be sore tomorrow. I hate getting old, I don’t have the same sharpness in my body as I used to.”
If they try to flank us, I’ll forge a path where there isn’t one and push through.
Well, the enemy is a group armed with modern weapons. I won’t be able to escape with conventional methods.
I basically keep my guard up to outwit the enemy’s thoughts, and focus on escaping.
And then, I’ll make full use of obstructive tactics.
Defeating the enemy is secondary.
Even so.
“Die!”
“Do you think I’m going to die before I can attend my grandson’s wedding?!”
“Gorgor!?”
I have to defeat the enemy at the very least.
If an enemy appears in my path, I’ll deal with them quickly.
As my mother lunged forward and delivered a lariat to the man wearing a monkey mask, who was brandishing a pistol.
She cleanly crushed his throat, and I was shown him spin vertically while letting out a sound that no human should be able to make.
“Mother, I’ve thought this for a while, but what’s with that superhuman strength of yours? Do you have magic power or something?”
I keep running, not stopping even after hearing the “splatter” sound behind me.
If my imagination is correct, that man must be in a lot of pain. I offer a silent prayer for the man’s remains.
To the mother who caused such a gruesome scene, I ask a question that’s a bit late.
Ever since I was young, my mother has always shown superhuman feats. Even as I grew up, I thought she was stronger than others, but I never considered that it was due to some kind of mysterious ability.
That’s why I never brought it up. But after joining my current company and encountering magic with Suella, Memoria, Himik, and the instructors, I learned that humans are not that strong without special skills.
Naturally, her superhuman physical abilities pique my interest.
It’s an emergency situation now, and I shouldn’t be asking such things, but it’s hard to maintain this level of tension.
I asked it as a little joke.
“Who knows, I’ve been able to do it since I gained consciousness. I don’t know about those things. Well, my parents used to call me a prodigy, or a once-in-a-century talent, so maybe I can use divine powers.”
“Divine powers specialized in physical strength are too terrifying.”
I asked, but got an answer that didn’t clarify whether it was natural physical strength or some mysterious power.
I give a wry smile at the answer, which is so like my mother. Well, I don’t particularly want to know the details either, so it’s not a problem…
“So, we’re almost at the center, what do we do?”
“I’d say ‘charge in,’ but that’s bad. My gut is telling me it’s dangerous.”
“It looks dangerous just by its appearance.”
Plus, the destination is getting closer, so we have to cut our conversation short.
After repeating the cycle of obstruction, escape, and combat, we managed to hide in a small alcove. It was a place close to the central plaza, and peeking out softly, I could see the scene in the plaza.
From here on, it’s a spacious plaza, with what looks like magic circle patterns drawn on the ground.
And the most striking thing is.
“Is that a heart?”
“It’s not impossible to see it, but I’ve never seen a heart that big.”
“Like a whale’s?”
“… Do you think there’s a whale with a heart that size?”
“I hope not.”
In the center of that plaza.
On a turret, tied with a sacred rope, a raw *thing* pulsates.
Based on its shape and the rhythmic beating, I deduce it’s a heart, but I lack absolute certainty.
Its dark reddish-purple hue is one thing, but the fact that there are no other organs and it continues to function when exposed to the open air is strange.
Moreover, its size is also strange, a colossal being that probably exceeds five meters.
Even if you told me it was the heart of a blue whale, which exceeds twenty-five meters in length, I’d have to tilt my head.
Rather, the question arises whether it’s the heart of a normal creature.
But there is one certainty.
“There’s no doubt that’s the center of this ritual.”
“If you say it’s not, then what else could it be? It’s understandable to think so.”
It seems to be the target.
If we can destroy it, the objective of everyone here will be thwarted. The problem is.
“Mother, have you ever destroyed an armored vehicle?”
“I’ve blown one up with an RPG.”
“Can you destroy it with our current equipment?”
“If I can throw a grenade inside the vehicle, there’s a chance.”
The security is also strict.
There are two armored vehicles in sight.
Furthermore, there are over a dozen guards in what looks like special forces gear, not the half-baked equipment we have.
They have firearms in their hands. Since the enemy isn’t from the Self-Defense Force or the police, I want to tell the Gun and Sword Law to do its job.
On top of that, there are also individuals who look like Onmyoji, dressed in serious attire.
Modern weapons and fantasy have collaborated.
It’s actually happening.
“What about the option of leaving it alone?”
“I wish we could, but look. It seems they’re about to resume the ritual.”
“…Seriously?”
Inside the company, modern weapons were neutralized by magic power.
Magic Crests, a special circuit, absorb magic particles to generate magic power, suppressing interference from non-magical substances.
That’s why seeing this kind of scene feels unnatural, but it exists in reality, and since it’s affecting my living body, there’s no point in dwelling on it.
“If we can deal with either one, we might be able to manage.”
“Deal with which one?”
“Hmm? Well, dodging bullets is a bit troublesome, so if we can handle that, I’ll take care of the other one.”
She said she could handle the enemy, who were clearly a carefully selected elite force.
And.
“What a coincidence, Mother. I was also thinking that if I could just deal with the Onmyoji, I could manage.”
It was the same for me.
I’ve never fought an armored vehicle before, but with Kirie-san not here, and my mother, who understands the situation, as my partner, this is a suitable environment to use the pendant Suella gave me.
If I activate the magic crest, guns can be reduced to mere pea shooters.
However, anything related to Onmyo is unknown.
If it affects me like magic, then it would mean damage passes through to me.
While I have the thought that I should use it now, it stops me from deciding whether to use it in terms of the war situation.
I thought I should use it after eliminating at least the dangerous parts.
But as I was hesitating whether to use this trump card here, my mother spoke.
We exchanged grins, like any parent and child would, lightly bumped our fists in front, then lightly bumped them up and down, and finally gave each other a thumbs-up.
With our next move decided, my mother cracks her neck next to me. I take the pendant from around my neck.
“What’s the time limit?”
Seeing me take out an accessory at this timing.
Knowing it wasn’t a normal pendant, and sensing what I was about to do and what power I would wield, my mother quickly asked me about my shortcomings.
“Thirty minutes at full power, or double if I conserve it.”
My mother, who immediately understood that I wouldn’t have used it from the start if there were no time limit, quickly confirmed the details.
If there were an Ore Tree, I could circulate magic power and sustain it for longer, but I couldn’t possibly bring that out.
It would have been better if I had at least some equipment or magic tools…
But I can’t wish for things I don’t have.
So, I honestly explain what I can do now.
“That’s enough. Jiro, you go straight ahead. I’ll hunt down the annoying ones.”
“Understood.”
My mother stands up with a smile, as if she’s looking forward to what’s about to happen.
“When you start going wild, I’ll move too.”
“Just to a moderate extent.”
“Are you sure ‘moderate’ is enough?”
“No, enjoy yourself to the fullest.”
And after a light joke, she silently melted into the darkness.
“Well then, shall I cause some trouble?”
There’s no need to wait for my mother to take her position.
If I go wild, my mother will naturally follow.
I slowly grip the pendant Suella gave me, and feel a faint sense of gratitude for their magic power.
I close my eyes, slowly inhale for three seconds, and exhale for the same amount of time.
“Magic Crest, activate.”
I connect the magic power contained in the pendant to my magic crest and activate it.
That alone fills my body with the power it was lacking.
“Well then, I’m not usually one for flashy displays, but from here on out, I’ll be a little showy…”
Feeling my senses sharpen, I light a cigarette I brought with me as a change of pace.
Smoke enters my lungs, clearing my head. With the cigarette in my mouth, I slowly leap in front of the enemy. The enemy, as if surprised, points their guns at me.
I don’t care about that.
From here on, what needs to be done is decided.
Yes, it’s extremely simple.
As a thank-you for chasing me around so much.
“Rampage.”
I’ll show them the offensive tactics I learned from the instructor.
Today’s Word: Let’s finish the job quickly and rest at our leisure.
This concludes this section.
Thank you, as always, for pointing out typos and for your feedback.
If you found it interesting, please leave comments, ratings, bookmarks, etc.
*The first volume of the novel has been decided to be published by Hayakawa Bunko JA.*
It was released on October 18, 2018.
An e-book version was also released on October 31 of the same year.
Additionally, the second volume was released on December 19.
The third volume was released on February 20, 2019.
The content includes revisions and additions to the material posted on “Shōsetsu-ka ni Narō,” as well as an unreleased interlude.
Please check out the new releases as well!
Furthermore, a comic adaptation has also been decided for Kodansha’s “Young Magazine The Third.”
