--Who did this to you?

　The motive for destroying Dominic was the Naga and others in his chains, the Lion of Perdition of Arzenon.

　If it was the work of these women, it was probably right before the silver-water pecking order war began.
　They had been watching for an opening in Dominique's life, and fortunately for them, that opportunity presented itself.

　It's not impossible.

　But if that was the case, it seems a bit unnatural that they tried to get rid of me from Ewezeino by ignoring the Two Rite Pretenders.

　He wouldn't have wanted me to meet him because he didn't want Dominic to be wary of me.

　And according to Naga's plan, it was still going to take some time to destroy Dominic.

　It's also questionable that he said he was going to let Dominic deal with the two intruding pretenders.

　If Naga had taken it into her hands, she knows that Dominic was destroyed.
　It would leave the Two Rite Pretender alone.

　It wouldn't have been much of a problem if they suspended the Silver Water Order War and dealt with the Two Rite Pretenders together with the Demon King Academy.

　In other words, Naga and the others don't know about Dominic's death - but who else would have a reason?

　The other people who might benefit from destroying Dominic are those from outside of Ewezeino.
　Two of them are from the Holy Sword World and the Puppet World.

　But neither Parrington, nor the warlord Lekol, nor the hunting nobles have reached this lowest level yet.
　Barzalondo is a demon king train.

　Aside from the motive, the only people who could have committed the crime would have been those who were in the research tower of this phantom beast agency before we infiltrated it.

　If that's the case, were there other phantom tribe members other than Naga and the others who were trying to kill Dominic?

"...there he is!　It was a bag of rats!

Step back, warden!　We're the intruders!

　The sound of footsteps echoed as the phantom tribe's soldiers gathered at the entrance.

I'm not going to be able to get a hold of you. I'm going to die...!

"Bezgum!

　A flaming bullet fired wildly.
　He lightly jumps back and avoids it, and the flaming bullets hit the chair and explode.

　Dominic's body is blown off and he rolls around on the floor, lying on his back.

　Seeing this scene, the soldiers of the Phantom Race gasped.

''Nah.........''



　The unmatched sound of the roots of the teeth echoed.
　The death of the confronted Lord, everyone's face paled.

''.........Dominic.......sama.........''

Yeah, uh....

"Well I know that guy I saw in the Pablo Hetala issue. ......... As I recall, isn't that the opponent of this silver water ranking match...?

　A man who looked like the captain immediately shouted out.

''Buy us some time!　It's out of our hands now!　I need Lady Naga's support ASAP!

　A few demons stood in front of me to shield me, and a man who stood back used a "thought communication".

　I stared at that magic with my magical eye of destruction.

Naga-sama, do you read me?　Lady Naga!

　＜The art of thought communication is broken, and Naga's voice doesn't reach her.

"Chi, it's his magic eye. Contain it!　Just block the view!

　I drew my magic sword and the demons came towards me while firing a series of "Besgum".

　＜I drew a magic circle as I blocked their thoughts with my eye of destruction.

"Doguda Azzedara.

　The blue stellar star turned into a tail of light, swallowing the flaming bullets and landing on the Phantom Race.
　Instantly, the blue flames rose up in a roar.



It's going to be very quiet.

　The burning men are further bound with the Zora e Dipto.

Behelius.

　The phantom demons were trapped in a dark coffin that appeared from the magic circle of the hellfire chain. Because of the magic of the Militia world, they won't die forever, but it will buy them some time.

Parrington. Bad news. Dominic has been destroyed.

　I sent out a leaks.
　Immediately, a voice replied.

"...Are you sure?

They died on my watch. I'm almost certain of it.

　Then, instantly, Parrington said.

''Not good.........!　Destroy the Pablo Hetala school insignia that Dominic is wearing...!　Before it turns red!

　Quickly, I look at Dominic's body.
　He's wearing the school insignia of Pablo Hetara, but it's already tinted red.

'Hmm. Looks like we're too late. What's the matter?

''The key figures of the Holy Sixth Academy are required to wear a special insignia. When an important person perishes, the magic power of that person and their surroundings is recorded and transmitted to Pablo Hetara. This proves that the person has indeed perished.

　I see.
　You mean recording the magic in your surroundings.

I suppose it proves that I was here when Dominic died.

''.........it is as you left it.......'' Perhaps those who destroyed Dominic knew this and didn't dare to put a stop to it. Originally, to prevent such a situation from happening, the structure of the school's emblem was not known to anyone other than the Holy Sixth Academy and the God of Arbitration, but.......''

So you're saying that the culprit is inside the St. John's Sixth Academy.

"...will be...

　As Parrington just told me, it's possible that someone else knows the secrets of the school's emblem, but in any case, it's probably someone close to the Holy Sixth Academy.

It is an inter-world communication from Eavesino to Pablo Hetala. Unlike the usual 'thought communication (leaks)', it will take some time to interrupt the silver bubble.

　You need a special ship to travel outside the world.
　You'll need a special ship to travel outside the world, and likewise, most magic doesn't extend beyond the small world.

　＜Normally, they can't deliver their thoughts to the outside world either.

　Even if they were connected to the silver-lit rails like the Demon King's train, there would still be a delay in magical communication. Since there is no such thing, it is even more so.

''How long is it?''

'You have about an hour. If you don't find out who destroyed Dominic by then, Anos, I can't afford to have suspicion fall on you.

　Even if it's just a situation where he's being treated as a suspect in the Fallen Fallen's destruction.
　If he was at the scene of Dominic's murder, then suspicion would be even greater.

　The Militia World has already been infiltrated by the watchers of the Holy Upper Sixth Academy.
　If they conducted a forceful investigation and harmed the people, Shin and the others would not remain silent.

　If they strike badly, it will be a war between Pablo Hetala and Militia.

　But--

The phoenix in the womb comes first.

''.......now that Dominic has been destroyed, there is no way to get him to give birth.......it's difficult to even find out where he is in the Abyss of Craving in at least an hour......''

　A phantom creature is an insubstantial, amorphous creature.
　They'll certainly be hard to find.

''If Dominic was studying the phoenix in his nostrils, then the results should still be here in this tower somewhere.

'I'll know some of the Naga. If you confide in her, or maybe she'll help you...?

　If she finds out that Dominic is destroyed, there will be no reason for her to kick me out of Ewezeino.

　But are you sure about that?

"You can't be sure this isn't a Naga plot.

"...what is it all for?

'Well. But at least Naga had a reason to destroy Dominic. And it's not surprising that she's thinking of framing me for it.

　If I tell Naga what's going on, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that I'm out of the silver-water pecking order game.
　That's enough to draw suspicion.

　I don't know the reason for setting me up, but I don't know her well enough to begin with.

　Or did Kostoria do this on her own?

　If that's the case, then this situation where Naga is leaving the Two Ruling Pretenders alone is understandable.
　If she is that woman who is mad with recrimination, it's not impossible.

　But now the question arises as to whether that is possible.

You can't spend all your time thinking about it. Even if an hour does not pass, once the silver water pecking order battle is settled, it will be known that we are out of it. There is also the matter of the Two Rite Pretender. And Rebrachard will come against him.'

Hmm. Let's go with that.

"...what?

　A questioning voice rang out from Parrington.

'Naga or Kostoria or Bobonga. If any or all of these men planned to frame me, they would be aware of this situation. From the killer's point of view, we can already lose the silver-water pecking order battle.

　That way it will be settled faster and you can hunt me down.
　I don't have to win, so I don't have to show my hand.

If we come at you, I'm afraid I'll give you away.

"...whoever was sloppy is the culprit?

That's very likely.

　By nature, Naga and his team should never be defeated.
　If he slips up, he knows he can lose.

I understand the logic, but it's a gamble, okay?　It's not a sure thing, and they may not be able to get away with it.

Some people are very good at detecting such things. No matter what kind of person you are, there is always an opening in your heart that can be exploited if you're willing to lose. I can't miss it. And I never miss it.

　Shushed, Parrington didn't speak for a few seconds.

Even so, if none of the three of us are the culprits, then we are the ones who are in a tight spot.''

'If it turns out that Naga isn't an enemy, he'll ask about the phoenix in the womb. Your priority is to save your mother too, right?

"Of course.

　I opened the shelf in the workshop with my pale, pallid hands.
　I took out all the books I could find.

　There must be several thousand books.
　It's a document about phantoms. I held them in the air and opened them up, flipping through the pages at high speed to examine them with my magical eye.

　What he was looking for was the description of the nostalgic phoenix.

''In any case, you have to take a risk to get started. Be hungry.''

　As he said it, he moved my doll on the Demon King's train with his 'thought-parallel possession'...