The sound of tea being poured echoed through the room, which had been cleaned up and was devoid of everything but the table.
Sofia's expression was the same as usual, even though she must have understood that this was an emergency situation. At least on the surface, she is keeping her cool.

As if pulled by this, Noto also regained his composure.
A mage must always maintain a calm mind. The power of magic depends on your mental state. If you are in a state of extreme excitement, it may not work.

When you take a deep breath, you will notice that your whole body is heavy. Was I so excited and angry that I forgot, or was I also afraid of the thousand changes?
At the very least, he must have looked bad enough that Sophia could tell from a glance that he was tired.

Sofia places a cup of tea and a box of chocolates in front of Noto, and asks where he bought them.
He frowned at the ...... idea of where he had been, but no one could have imagined what had just happened. In fact, you might say that you are lucky to have been away from the imperial capital, as you have been cleared of suspicion of being an informant.

We did not discuss the details at the sympathetic stone. This was to avoid leaking information.
He briefly explained to Sophia, who was sitting opposite him.

'Hunters have been sent to the White Wolf's Den by the higher-ups. Our presence has been discovered. We are now being hunted.'

This is the worst thing I could have imagined just a month ago.

The Tower of Akasha is a big organization. It has power, money, strength. But this experiment was something that should never have been revealed.
No, it was never supposed to be revealed in the first place. The technique of disrupting a portion of the earth's veins to create a bias in the mana material was the culmination of Noto Cochlear's research. When a powerful illusion suddenly appears, most people don't think it's man-made.

Until now, no one had sniffed around for Noto and the others. In retrospect, we should have suspected the existence of an insider when the Thousand Transformations first came to the White Wolf's Den.

But that was no longer a meaningful assumption. There has been no sign of the Thousand Transformations moving since they disposed of all the disciples except Sophia. We should assume the insider has been dealt with.

Sophia did not change her color even after hearing Noto's words.
Noto let out a small sigh in comparison to the panicked and frightened figures of his former disciples.

'Is everything alright here?

'It's still fine. But we don't know when the attack will come. We'll need to change our base. We may have to leave the Imperial City.'

At these words, Sophia's expression changed slightly for the first time. Her eyes widened, and she put her hand over her mouth and made a thoughtful expression.

The Imperial City was convenient for Noto's research in every way. Surrounded by countless treasure halls. Wealthy and powerful hunters.
Plenty of customers. In the slums - the area known as the "Decadent City District" - the Order's reach is limited, and with a little care, there's no shortage of bodies to collect for human experimentation. Even a large city of similar size would not be able to do so well.

Sophia opens her small lips and lets out a trembling cry.

'...... Can't even 'Akasha's Tower' do anything about it?'

'The interceptor golem - 'Akasha' has been defeated.'

''Ah!

This time, Sofia's expression clearly changed.
Her eyes widened and she stared at Noto's expression as if to confirm.

The Akasha was a masterpiece of research, different from the manipulation of mana materials that Noto and the others had created.
Sophia was also deeply involved in its creation. No other alchemist has ever created a golem that powerful.

The defeat must have been a shock to Sophia because she understood its performance.
I'm sure you've heard of it, but I've never heard of it.

'...... That thing should have been powerful enough to kick the crap out of any knight order in the Imperial Capital.

'It wasn't the ...... Knights. It was the Hunters.

'Even a Hunter, sir.'

Sofia replied immediately.


'...... That reminds me, it was you, wasn't it? I'm sure you've heard of it.

'......Yes.'

'...... Can you still assert that?

Akasha is not something that a single human can defeat. It has enough power that even a high level hunter can easily defeat it head on.
If Akasha had been there when Noto and the others were found by the Thousand Transformations, the outcome of the battle would have been a little different.

But in reality, the golem was unable to finish off the Zekage. It was not destroyed, but the time was bought, and a single spell of transformation overturned everything.

In response to Master's question, Sophia said with a thoughtful expression.

'...... It's been nearly a year since I created that. High level hunters are growing night and day. ............ But even so, it should have been powerful enough to take them on if handled well. I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I think it's a good idea. I packed it with the best I could think of.

'......You mean the operator was incompetent,......'

'............ Still, it should be able to crush most opponents.'

A quizzical look on Sophia's face. I don't see any lies there.
In the first place, Noto had absolute confidence in that golem. He had spent a lot of money, used the best materials he could think of, and spent a lot of time creating it.

But he lost. As long as there is an actual result, we have to accept it.
Besides, there was no time to retrieve the Akasha. I can't go back for it now. I can't rely on that now.

'...... Oh well. I have the blueprints. You can make golems as much as you want if you have the time and money. The first thing we need to do now is deal with this situation.

'Please remain calm. Master, it's not the equipment that's important. As long as you're alive, there's no limit to how many times you can revive yourself.

'Do you have a plan?'

Sophia smiled softly at Noto's confirmation. The agitation that had been there earlier was gone from her face.

'If it's the hunters, there are a few things we can do. ...... I'll give it some thought. ...... Master, if you don't mind, may I have one of those? It's best to have something sweet to think about.



Sofia's eyes were fixed on a box on the table.
I don't know where it's from, but it's a very expensive looking box of chocolates. They were neatly arranged.

Noto nodded, and Sophia picked up one of the chocolates with her slender fingers, put it in her mouth, and her face broke into a smile. Noto picks up a piece as well and puts it in his mouth.
The moderate sweetness and aroma of cocoa spread in his mouth. The sugar seemed to soak into his tired body.
After all this time, I remembered that I hadn't eaten much in the past few days.

As I reached for the second one, Sophia, who had been looking down and thinking, looked up at me.
Her eyes, as deep blue as the bottom of the sea, looked at Noto.

'You said earlier that you were an insider. ...... Who was it? When I checked in the past, there was no one suspicious.

I don't know. We had to dispose of them all based on circumstantial evidence. I didn't realize until after the attack.' ......

'...... A wise decision. I'm sure it was a difficult decision, but I'm ...... so glad you came back in time.'

Sophia narrowed her eyes and patted her chest with relief.
We can still win. There is no impatience or fear in Sophia's expression. She had probably been expecting this all along.

Sophia is very similar to Noto. The desire for knowledge. Unethical about breaking the law. And cautiousness.
She may not be as skilled as Noto in magic, but what she needs now is not personal combat ability.

You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them.

'...... So, may I ask the name of that enemy?'

'Oh, ...... I haven't told you yet?'

Looking back, Sophia had been an enemy of the Ghost of Sorrows.
When she had created Akasha, she had cited her name and advised her to improve her performance.
It seems that this first disciple had imagined that the Ghost of Sorrows would eventually challenge Akasha.

He said the name with hatred.

'The one who has hunted us down this time is ...... you know it well, the Strange Glyph. It's called 'The Thousand Transformations'.

'......'

He didn't say anything, but the change in his expression was dramatic.
The gentle smile that had been on his face disappeared and his expression became serious.

A sharp gaze traced Noto's face as if to reveal a lie. But there is no sign of fear or trepidation.

This would not slow him down. Raising his voice, Noto slams the table. The tea splashes and stains the table.

'The purpose of the ...... is completely unknown. We don't know how long they've been spying on us, and we don't know why they missed us after they defeated Akasha! But I know one thing! Unless we defeat that man, we have no future!



'Yes, that's right. ......'



Sophia replied in a small voice, her words rough with anger.

There was too little power in it. Sophia's posture slumped. She put her hand on her forehead and put her elbow on it.

Until now, Sophia Black had always maintained a polite demeanor.
You'll be able to find a lot more information on this subject in this article.

'...... I wonder what went wrong. It was only a matter of time before Noto's research would have been fulfilled. ......'

'? Sophie,a......? What's wrong with you?

'Oh, I'm sorry. Master. It's just that I didn't expect--'

Sophia looked up and straightened her posture, looking embarrassed. By that time, the unusual reaction she had just experienced had disappeared.

She regained her composure, cleared her throat once and continued.

'Don't worry. We still have a hand. We still have the tools, and we still have a way to get to the top. I've made a few plans for .......'

The labs outside the Imperial City have probably been destroyed. But the equipment and items are in the space-time bag and have been evacuated.
In addition to the materials that summarize the results of his research, there are rare catalysts and treasures that can be used for magic. There are hiding places that my students do not know about.
If you use them well and prepare well, you have a good chance to win even against a level 8 hunter.
Neither magic nor physical attacks were effective, but there were ways to do that. He could try assassination. You can trap them.

I hand you the plan. Sofia takes it, but puts it on the table without checking it.
She gives a small sigh and bows her head so deeply that her hair almost falls into her teacup.

'I'm sorry, Master. This is all my fault.

'...... What are you ...... saying?'

'I'm saying that the purpose of the Thousand Transformations is-- 'me'. But I swear to you, I didn't betray you.'

Sophia raises her head and looks at Noto, who doesn't understand the situation.
Her eyes were filled with tears. She continued as if she was begging for forgiveness.

'I respect you, Master. I respect him for his skill and knowledge of magic to the extent that he was once called Master Magus, for his insatiable inquisitiveness to seek forbidden knowledge despite his high position, and for his persistence and prudence to avoid death even in such a situation. The study of the mysteries requires a different kind of talent than that of magic, and a master who combines both at a high level is a 'genius'. All of my other students are also excellent. ...... Master had everything that I did not have.

His trembling voice was thin and weak. If the voice had a form, it would have been as fragile and beautiful as snow.
He calmed his breathing and moved his chin.

'...... Continue.'

'Both the Akasha and the Mana Material Agitator are magnificent achievements. It would have taken an enormous amount of time, money, and risk for me to build them alone. Here, I have expensive equipment, rare catalysts and materials, excellent researchers, everything. And my master was generous enough to listen to me, a newcomer and inexperienced. It was very fortunate for me that my master, who was supposed to have been expelled, was still in the Imperial Capital.



It was like a confession.
In terms of content, it was nothing. If the tone of his voice had been normal, he would not have thought anything strange.
He covertly grabbed his wand that was propped up. Sophia doesn't seem to notice.

'I wish I could--I wish we could have continued our work together.

'You can continue ....... We're not done yet.'

'No, ...... it's over. The master violated the ...... taboo, was hunted down by a thousand changes, killed all of his students, and was captured and held by the empire as the worst mage in ...... history. You will probably ...... never see him again.''

His tone was so natural. I stared at Sophia's features.
Her eyebrows were drawn into a "C" shape. Her eyes were twisted sadly, as if she were a tragic heroine or something. She looks as if she is grieving from the bottom of her heart.

'Sophia! You, you, me! You think you can defeat that man?

Sophia was a researcher. She's an excellent mage, but her skill as a mage - her offensive magic - is far inferior to Noto's.
Sofia didn't have a wand, and even if she did, she couldn't use her magic to overcome Noto's superior resistance.

She stood up, her cheeks scrunched up as she yelled at Noto, but Sophia showed no sign of resistance.
She simply grabbed a handful of her long hair and pulled it down hard. Then she continued.

'The purpose of the Thousand Transformations is to ...... warn you. He's not talking to Master, he's talking to me. 'It's dangerous, so stop there and come back.

''Ah!

Her long, flaming crimson hair fell down as she was pulled.

I thought for a moment that my scalp had been peeled off, but that was not the case.
In front of the shocked Noto, a clump of hair fell onto the table.

What came out from underneath was a pale pink-blonde hair. It was cut short and looked different from the flashy red hair he had just seen.
As Noto's face tightened and he was in a panic, Sophia lifted up his fallen hair and said with a sly smile.

'Actually, I don't want to show it to you, but ...... that would be too 'dishonest' after studying under you for so many years. ......'

'You've been ...... hiding it all these years,...... why would you do that--'

'Yeah,...... because if they find out,...... you'll be in trouble. I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure it's a good idea. This time, I might not be the only hunter. ...... I don't want that. ...... I don't want that.

I'm not sure what to do.

I'm not sure what to do. He points his wand at Sophia as if to thrust it at her.

The impact was as if he had been struck by lightning.
Her cheeks and limbs trembled. Whether it was anger at having been deceived or fear, Noto himself did not know.

Until now, all of Noto's disciples had been dismissed mages. They were a kind of madmen who had too much of their exceptional talent and chose to abandon the world and seek the truth because of their desires and unfortunate circumstances.
I thought this first disciple was one of them. She hadn't become a criminal yet, but that was because she had met herself before that, and had gone behind the scenes. Clearly, Sophia's sensibilities were not of the kind that would be tolerated in the human world.

Noto, too, is working behind the scenes in the Imperial City, so he knows information about famous hunters.

Among them, there was one who was unique.
A high-level hunter who was considered the biggest suspect in a certain major incident based on circumstantial evidence alone. One who was penalized with a level down and forced to bear a disgraceful "two names" that would be given to a criminal.

Level down is the most serious penalty set by the Search Council, as it reduces the level of the hunter's rank to an impossible "minus".
If you commit a serious crime, you will be expelled from the Explorers Society. Failure of a request is not enough to reduce your level. The fact that it rarely occurred was a sign that he was a person to watch out for.

The fall of the young genius became a hot topic in the Imperial Capital at the time. In the end, he was never charged with a crime due to lack of evidence, and his name has faded, but those who still remember him will remember him.

'Penalty ...... Hunter--Mage--Sophia is a fake name? I know, I remember you-- three years ago, you were suspected of aiding and abetting a mass prison break at the South Isteria Grand Jail, and were reduced to a negative level. --''

''Master, you're very knowledgeable. See, it's a good thing I kept it hidden after all. ......'

Sophia smiles sadly. She doesn't look like she's been given such a nickname because of her appearance.
But the name fits perfectly with what I've seen Sophia do so far.

'You're 'Deep Black'?

'I hate that name so much!

The former Sophia cowers her shoulders as Noto spits and shouts.
His casual gesture and words affirmed Noto's doubts.

Deep Black.
One of the members of 'Strange Grief'.

'Citri Smart, ...... you're the ...... insider ......, aren't you?

'No, I'm ......, no. I apprenticed myself to Master ...... just for me. Krai and the others have nothing to do with it, and I didn't say anything. And ...... that terrible nickname ends today.

Citri clasped his hands together, as if to congratulate him.

''The 'worst of the worst' is you from now on, Master.