Chapter 203

The video connection was intermittently breaking up due to poor communication conditions, and the Master spoke.

[ Master Hiramoto Michisige. ]

He spoke with clear etiquette, but didn’t hide the emotions that seeped through every word.

[ Was the last time we met at last year’s gathering? ]

The Master’s tone was filled with confusion. It seemed at times hostile, laced with self-deprecation, and full of questioning about his own actions.

[ It’s truly regrettable to meet under such circumstances. ]

“Well, what brings you here…?”

Michisige was left dumbfounded, unable to comprehend why the Inspector had suddenly video-called him with a smartphone, and why the Master’s face was visible in that video call.

Observing him quietly, the Master seemed hesitant to speak, repeatedly moving his lips before letting out a deep sigh and finally saying—

[ Master, may I ask… ]

He was torn between wanting to say this or feeling compelled to inquire, yet once he thought of his own predicament, he bit his lip tight and opened his mouth.

[ Have you done anything strange to obtain mana? ]

At that question, Michisige’s eyes went wide and his mouth slightly agape.

“What, what did you say?”

[ I’m asking if you’ve done anything ethically questionable or performed any taboo magical acts to obtain mana. ]

“Uh, right now….”

Michisige blinked several times at the inquiry and clamped his mouth shut. He seemed to roll his eyes as if searching for the right words, but quickly realized he had no reason to answer and instead shot back a question.

“I don’t really know what you mean by that. But more importantly, why are you suddenly calling me? Do you have some connection with the Inspector? And who’s that person behind you?”

[ Master Michisige… you haven’t answered my question. ]

Despite having a question thrown at him, the Master chose not to respond but relentlessly pressed Michisige for answers, causing him to finally burst out in anger.

“Listen! I’m the Master and older than you! How can you speak so rudely! Do you treat someone guilty as such and expect me to answer fully? Have you forgotten the spirit of martial arts? Etiquette and respect!”

[ …]

“How can you forget the basics of martial arts and treat someone superior like this? Your behavior shows not a trace of those values!”

Michisige began to reprimand the Master as if really furious. He completely forgot about his own situation, where he was, and why the Master was even calling him, instead losing himself entirely in righteous anger, veins bulging at his neck.

“Can you even call yourself a proper warrior after acting like that?”

With a sigh, the Master listened to Michisige’s lecture, seemingly disappointed at the unmanly figure he was displaying despite being insulted. Behind him, Jinseong raised a hand in a calming gesture.

[ Don’t worry about it. This is a common side effect for capable persons who use mana. It makes one aggressive, impatient, and unable to control their anger. ]

Though not loud, those words clearly penetrated Michisige’s ears while he continued his rant.

“What? Who do you think you are to talk to me like that…!”

[ This is due to the properties of mana. To put it simply, a warrior trained in fiery techniques is generally active, while those trained in watery techniques often have stronger sexual urges. Mana is a power that feeds on life to grow, so a person’s body using mana tends to change in ways that make it easier to take life. ]

[ I see….]

Just as Michisige was about to explode at Jinseong’s blunt comments, Jinseong treated him as though he were invisible, continuing to explain about mana to the Master and portraying Michisige as a ‘poor person suffering from anger control issues due to mana.’

[ While I may have made it sound grander, it’s just that the martial arts adapt the person’s body to better gather energy. So…. ]

He then smirked at Michisige as if to cap things off.

[ Whether it’s due to the side effects of mana or his personality, getting an answer out of him will be tough. ]

“What?!”

Michisige could barely hold back his anger, and his face turned crimson.

Boom!

He leaped up from his seat, reaching for his smartphone to yell, ready to let out a scream.

“Hey! Why are you acting like this?!”

But the Inspector, holding the smartphone, dodged his exaggerated motion with flair, flicking his fingers to create a magical barrier. He transformed the barrier into a web-like form, sticky enough to ensnare Michisige’s arm, spreading the bound mana to connect to a device set up on the desk.

“What were you planning to do with the smartphone? Were you hoping to contact someone to destroy evidence? Or is it that you urgently need to get in touch with someone?”

The Inspector sneered at Michisige, who was restrained by magical energy.

It was a blatant mockery.

However, Michisige couldn’t vent his fury like before. Losing his temper on the Inspector before him would result in his own downfall. This was someone wielding power, the one currently holding his collar—not the Master or the young-looking Shinto priest.

[ …Let’s go. ]

The Master sighed at Michisige’s unmanly appearance, biting his lip in silence, and then glanced at the Shinto priest. After confirming that the priest was wearing a fox mask, he opened the car door.

Click.

Click click.

Click click click click.

As soon as the car door opened, blinding flashes erupted crazily, and a deafening volume blared from the smartphone’s speaker.

[ Here they come! Snap it! Snap it! ]

[ Master Taisiro Kanoto! Please look this way! ]

[ I heard about Grand Master Kazuo’s press conference! You’ve stated that you would handle connections without hesitation. Can you share what that means? ]

[ The fact that Master Taisiro came here means you’re certain the Yatadoarangkryu is behind these actions, correct? ]

[ If someone resists, do you plan to draw your sword?! ]

[ I’ve heard that the Yatadoarangkryu has been committing evil acts around the community! Threatening with an overbearing attitude or responding with excessive violence, do you know anything about that?! ]

The loud noise threatened to fill the room, and Michisige stood dumbfounded, staring at the smartphone. Just then, as if reading his curiosity, the screen on the smartphone flipped over…

“What, what is this?!”

He saw countless reporters.

The reporters gazed at the Master with eyes that sparkled either out of determination to snag an exclusive story or to bury the Yatadoarangkryu.

“This, this….”

Yet to Michisige, the way those reporters looked at him—those glinting eyes—felt akin to the predatory gaze of beasts that had come to bury him.

*

Unfortunately for Michisige, his bad premonition came true.

[ Here is the warrant. We’ll be entering. ]

[ Who are you people? You can’t just waltz in here like this! ]

[ Snap it! Snap it! A warrior resisting lawful enforcement? This makes for a great shot! ]

[ Refusal of legal enforcement through force, is it arrogance from the edge of a sword, or the actions of a thug?! Wow, the title just writes itself! ]

[ Master! There’s someone resisting over there—could you show us your strength in subduing them?! ]

The men in black suits who entered along with the Master showed the warrant, setting foot inside the dojo, followed by a multitude of reporters and the Master, as they clamored around, taking photographs, while stamping impressions upon the bewildered witnesses. They jeered and mocked, treating those being captured as if they were criminals, and even raucously requested that the Master take down the stubborn warriors in their desperate attempts to protect the dojo.

[ Let go! Let go! What have we done wrong?! ]

[ Push with magic! Create a reverse barrier and add elasticity! ]

[ The front line needs to add elasticity to the barrier, the second line needs to add magnetism, and the third line needs to apply magnetism to those with metal! ]

[ Push! ]

[ Inspector! What should we do about those using martial arts to resist?! ]

[ Master! Please subdue them! ]

Flashes popped off crazily, illuminating the room.

Inspectors shouted about the warrants, demanding people leave.

Others used magic to forcefully expel the warriors outside.

The Master personally threw those resisting with magic out, and police were immediately ready to spring into action if something went awry.

The dojo was absolute chaos.

[ Begin the subjugation of those escalating their energy! ]

[ Fire the taser guns! ]

[ Shoot the electric nets! ]

[ Electrocution confirmed! ]

[ They’re not subdued yet! Warriors won’t yield easily with just that! Use the saya staff to subdue them! ]

[ Shoot tasers at those subdued with the saya staff! Only approach those with their eyes rolled back to cuff them! ]

[ Hold your tranquilizers steady! If anything seems off, shoot immediately! ]

The warriors ejected outside attempted to rush back in, only to be subdued by police waiting outside. If they didn’t comply, they were first hit with a taser, and if they seemed able to resist even slightly, they were caught in electric nets, trembling uncontrollably.

Those carrying deadly weapons or who had amped up their mana were swarmed by officers, who immobilized them with Y-shaped restraining tools before roasting them with electricity until they passed out. Once thoroughly subdued, they were handcuffed and unceremoniously tossed to the ground.

Witnessing the horrific scene, Michisige felt his world turning upside down.

[ Oh dear, what a lovely setup. This looks like it’s made from fine wood, doesn’t it? ]

[ Let’s take some pictures first. Wow, even the training tools look quite nice. I wonder where the money came from? ]

[ Where could that money possibly be from? Heh heh, it seems like this will be a juicy story. ]

[ Got any rumors? Share some insights with me. Let’s help each other out. ]

[ I hear you found an intriguing story too, mind sharing that? We don’t need to be stingy with such big fish! ]

What drove Michisige madder was the clear sound of reporters chattering, pierced by his heightened hearing. Outside, it was as though his treasured warriors—whom he’d trained—were rolling about like beasts, and the reporters were laughing and chattering over them. The content of their conversation sounded like they were assessing a catch of fish as they debated what to write.

“Wh-why are you doing this to me?! What crime have I committed?!”

In the end, he couldn’t contain his rage any longer and yelled at the Inspector.

His eyes, bloodshot from anger, glared daggers at the Inspector, ready to lash out, but the Inspector remained nonchalant, continuing to hold up the smartphone.

You can hurl curses.

I’ll do my job.

With an expression that communicated this, the Inspector disregarded Michisige’s shouts, continuing to hold the smartphone steady.

[ …Mana is a power that can be obtained by taking life. Or rather, taking life is the correct training method. Killing animals, killing humans…. That’s how mana can be explosively collected. Naturally, adding magic makes it even better. So, it should definitely be here within this area. ]

[ What exactly is here? ]

[ Naturally, it’s a place to ‘efficiently’ train mana. Let me see…. You should certainly smell blood by now. Ah, it’s that corner over there. Let’s go. ]

Seeing this, Michisige yelled with a different emotion flooding in rather than the anger he felt moments earlier.

“Don’t go in there——!”

But Jinseong ignored his desperate cry and ordered the police to break down the door.

[ What the hell. ]

[ Ugh, gross! ]

[ What the hell is this terrible…! ]

[ Snap it! This is gross, damn it! I still have to take this shot! ]

The interior’s appearance was exposed to the world.

Countless animals lay butchered, mercilessly torn apart.

Blood pooled on the floor, enough to make it seem as if embracing their death was a normal sight.

It was the appearance of a building used as a ‘slaughterhouse.’