According to the guidebook Natsumi had lent me, Cinema Village often staged spontaneous street plays involving tourists. It was the perfect cover for a kidnapping.
The carriage stopped. Tsukuyomi stepped down, dressed in extravagant noblewoman's robes, followed by Fate in a crisp tuxedo. Their eyes scanned us, cold and predatory beneath their polite veneers.
"My, my, Shinmeiryū," Tsukuyomi giggled in an exaggerated Kyoto lilt. "Actually, don't call me that. Think of me as a noble lady come to collect a debt. Swordsman, I believe we had an agreement. I'll be taking the young lady as payment for your arrears."
"W-what is this? Why now?" Setsuna stammered, momentarily caught off guard.
"Setsuna-san, it's just a play!" Chisame and the other Group 3 members caught up, laughing. "The park staff do this all the time to surprise people!"
Setsuna looked at me, then at Asakura, who seemed to have realized the danger. Asakura's face was uncharacteristically grim.
"I will protect Lady Konoka with my life!" Setsuna barked, falling into the role to keep the peace. "I won't let you touch her!"
"Oh? If that's how it is..." Tsukuyomi smiled, a hollow, terrifying expression. She peeled off her left glove and flicked it at Setsuna's feet. A classic, old-fashioned challenge. "Let's settle this with a duel for the lady's hand. If we lose, we leave. But if we win..."
The bloodlust leaking from Tsukuyomi was enough to make Konoka flinch.
"And you, Master Onmyoji..." Fate turned his emotionless gaze to me. "I assume you'll be participating as well?"
"I figured as much," I replied. "Where and when? Or do you plan to start right here?"
"My, how boorish!" Tsukuyomi laughed. "We wouldn't dream of it. In thirty minutes, at the Great Japan Bridge near the main gate. Don't be late... I'd hate to have to come looking for you."
She released another wave of killing intent—this time directed squarely at me.
"Understood," I said. "Thirty minutes."
"Splendid. Feel free to bring reinforcements," she added, before disappearing back into the carriage with Fate.
I had a problem. Tsukuyomi and Setsuna both used blades; their fight would look like a choreographed stunt to the tourists. But Fate was a close-quarters combatant, and my own skills were rooted in military CQC. In a world without Mecha like the Soulgain or Ashsaviour, using my full strength against a supernatural assassin in public was risky. If I used my Slime or the weapons in my pocket dimension, I could win easily, but not without blowing my cover.
Ayaka and Chizuru were in the same boat—their magic and Artifacts were too flashy for a "staged play."
"Wow, Axel, you really look the part," Haruna Saotome said, approaching me with a sketchbook. She had been observing the 'drama' with keen interest. "An Onmyoji with real paper charms... the park really goes all out for the guest roles, huh?"
"Yeah... something like that," I answered distractedly.
"Hey, hold that thought! Pose for me?" Haruna chirped. "Hold one of those charms up like you're about to cast a spell. It'll make for a great sketch!"
I froze. A realization hit me like a bolt of lightning.
I'm dressed as an Onmyoji.
If I cast magic while posing with these charms, any witness would just assume it was a special effect or a hidden prop. I couldn't use anything too massive, but subtle Shadow Magic—like a Shadow Spear—could easily be disguised as a "staged" trick.
"Saotome... you're a genius."
"Huh? What for?"
I shook myself out of my trance to find I was holding a rose and posing dramatically.
"Wait... what am I doing?"
"Shh! Don't move!" Haruna scribbled furiously.
I quickly huddled with Setsuna. We decided she would take Tsukuyomi, and I would handle Fate. The other girls were determined to follow, but since they thought it was a show, I couldn't exactly stop them. I just had to pray that Tsukuyomi and Fate wouldn't target civilians.
We began our walk toward the Great Japan Bridge, the "stage" for our upcoming battle.
Status Window
Name: Axel Almar
Level: 38
PP: 625
Melee: 262 | Ranged: 282 | Skill: 272 | Defense: 272 | Evade: 302 | Hit: 322
SP: 462
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Consumes SP to buff Slime performance)
Growth Type: All-Rounder / Special
Terrain: Air: S | Ground: S | Water: S | Space: S
Spirit Commands:
Accel (SP 4)
Effort (SP 8)
Focus (SP 16)
Direct Hit (SP 30)
Awaken (SP 32)
Love (SP 48)
Skills: EXP Up, SP Boost, Psychodriver Lv.10, Attacker, Gunfight Lv.9, Infight Lv.9, Morale Limit Break, Geass (Grey), Magic (Fire), Magic (Shadow), Magic (Summon), Dark Magic, ???
Kills: 376
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