The Strongest Sorcerer, Chapter 35: A Major Kegare Incident

"Huh? So, Masuzu, you really just returned to Japan recently?"

Sitting on the park bench, Umaru covered her mouth in surprise.

Earlier, when Aki Tomoya had mentioned a “returning half-Japanese heroine” as part of his game concept, Umaru had dismissed it as his overactive imagination. But now, hearing Masuzu confirm it, she was genuinely shocked.

"Yes, I only came back a short while ago. Actually… it seems we’re classmates too."

Masuzu Natsukawa smiled mysteriously, a hint of playfulness in her expression.

"The school I’m transferring to is Sobu High. I’ll be starting next week."

"Really?! That means we’re going to be classmates! We’ll see each other every day now!"

Ebina Nana’s face lit up with excitement, dimples forming on her cheeks as she smiled brightly.

Being a simple and pure-hearted girl, hearing that the new friend they’d just met would be joining the same school filled her with happiness.

"But wait… are you going to be in the second-year classes, or are you starting as a first-year?" Masuzu asked, tilting her head curiously.

"I’ll be joining as a first-year. I think it’s Class F?"

"Class F?!" Umaru and Ebina exchanged a look, shock mirrored in each other’s eyes.

Class F… isn’t that my brother's class?

Masuzu blinked in confusion, her tone turning a little hesitant.

"Is there something special about me being assigned to Class F?"

Umaru scratched her cheek, trying to organize her thoughts before answering.

"We’re both second-years in Class A, Raerae and I. As for Class F… well, that’s my older brother’s class. That’s why we’re a bit surprised."

"Your older brother’s class?"

Masuzu’s eyes widened in surprise.

What a coincidence! Not only had she just met two lovely girls, but it turned out that her new homeroom teacher was Umaru’s older brother. Fate really seemed to be working overtime today.

The realization made her view the two girls even more fondly. Her usual sharp tongue softened as a surge of goodwill blossomed in her chest.

"We really must be destined to meet! How about we all go out for dinner tonight?" Masuzu suggested enthusiastically.

Because she’d only recently returned to Japan, and her father was away on another business trip, she’d been living alone in a small apartment he rented for her. Since she had no one to rush home to, she figured staying out a little late wouldn’t hurt.

"Sure! Can I bring my older brother along?" Umaru asked casually.

Hearing this, Ebina’s expression brightened instantly, though her cheeks turned rosy as she recalled past interactions with Gojo. She vividly remembered how he’d often tease her by gently pinching her cheeks and commenting on how cute she was.

"Your brother, huh…" Masuzu hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded.

"Alright, why not? It’ll give me a chance to meet my new homeroom teacher in advance."

"Great! Let me call him."

Umaru pulled her phone from her bag and quickly searched for the contact labeled ‘Onii-chan.’ She tapped on it and brought the phone to her ear.

But instead of the usual ringing tone, an automated message greeted her.

"We’re sorry. The number you’re trying to reach is currently out of service. Please try again later…"

"Huh? No signal?" Umaru stared at her phone in confusion, noticing the lack of bars in the upper-right corner of the screen.

That’s strange… Tokyo is blanketed with cell towers. How could there be no signal, even in Shibuya?

Suddenly, faint, guttural breathing echoed in the air around them.

The sound grew louder and more distinct, accompanied by eerie animalistic growls that seemed to come from nowhere.

People walking their dogs or strolling through the park froze in place, their faces filled with confusion. Many of them began glancing around nervously, wondering if they’d misheard something.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

Dogs, however, reacted immediately, barking furiously in all directions as their hackles rose. They growled and tugged on their leashes, as though sensing an unseen enemy or predator nearby.

"U-Umaru, do you hear that?"

Ebina’s voice trembled as she shrank into herself, her body visibly shaking.

"I hear it…"

Umaru swallowed hard, her nerves fraying as the unsettling sounds grew closer.

"D-Do you think it’s a ghost?" Masuzu stammered, her pale arms wrapped tightly around her body as though trying to shield herself from an unseen chill.

"I don’t think it’s—" Umaru began, but before she could finish, her vision flickered.

Darkness engulfed her for a brief moment, only to be replaced by a horrifyingly unfamiliar scene.

The sky above was blood red, and the park around them had transformed into a decayed, rotting wasteland. Buildings in the distance were crumbling and covered in black vines, while the air itself was thick with the stench of death and decay.

"This… where are we?"

Umaru’s voice trembled as she muttered the question, her eyes wide with shock and fear.

Akihabara.

Gojo Satoru sat on a bench, casually munching on a skewer of three-flavored dango. His thoughts were occupied with the eternal dilemma: What should I eat for dinner?

"Ah, what a hard decision. I just don’t know what to choose… Maybe I’ll go with—"

His lighthearted musings were abruptly cut off. His relaxed expression vanished as his eyes snapped open, the playful glint in them replaced with icy seriousness.

He turned his head sharply toward the distance.

Shibuya.

At the same moment, the protective charm he’d given Umaru was triggered.

His phone rang, the familiar ringtone cutting through the tense silence:

"You can’t leave me, I can’t forget you, without you I’m like a fish… dying of thirst…"

The caller ID displayed ‘Tokyo Onmyoji Branch.’

Frowning, Gojo picked up. "This is Gojo Satoru."

"Gojo-sama, we have an emergency!" The voice on the other end was trembling with urgency.

"There’s been a large-scale disappearance in the Shibuya district. It appears that all the missing individuals have been dragged into Magano. The incident seems to have originated from a park, with the affected area extending to several nearby apartment buildings."

"We’ve dispatched as many Onmyoji as we can, but the scale of the incident is unprecedented. Please, Gojo-sama, we need your assistance!"

"I’m on it," Gojo replied curtly before hanging up.

His piercing blue eyes were now cold and calculating. He didn’t need anyone to convince him—he was already planning to head into Magano.