Chapter 3: The Society of Anti-Evil; Servants of the CATHEDRAL
Part 1
"Did we lose that maniac?" Kawashiro asked.
Kochiya turned back and looked around.
There was no sign of anyone following the pair of women. Naturally, that included Jade.
It seemed that their pursuer has given up for that day.
Kochiya breathed out in relief. One of the most unwanted figures in her current situation has disappeared. She hoped that Jade would not pop up anytime soon.
After all, the greenhead could not imagine the reaction of her mad friend meeting an alien from the solar system. It was totally incomprehensible to the one who could kill God.
"I think we should be fine by now," the greenhead concluded. "If she continues, we might have to knock her down to correct that screwed mind of hers."
However, this was not the right time to be concerned about a woman who was trapped in fantasy.
As they reached the place they called 'home' in Tyrador, they hid behind the edge of a stoned fence.
The two women could hear the noise of the alarm ringing from their house.
"Why is the alarm going on in our house?"
The alarm was set by Kochiya to be triggered if Shirayuki was displaced out of the room.
Naturally, there were many reasons for someone to leave the room. However, an injured person who was being hunted by other people would only leave a place due to the threat of the enemy.
That was natural for Kochiya who possessed a simple mindset. However, she was not far from the truth.
At the same time, Kochiya was relieved. It was a Sebt so many people were out of their homes including her neighbors.
If her neighbors were around, then it would create more unnecessary interruption from people who were completely unrelated to this issue. Kochiya would not want to spend time handling petty issues such as neighbors interrupting in their issues or even suing them for disturbing peace. Even worse, the neighbors might actually report about something that could not be resolved with sweet words.
They might have to spend a lot of time visiting the Prosecutors' Office and the court to defend themselves from their neighbors.
Kawashiro took a sneak peek from the edge of the fence.
She saw something that she immediately recognized.
"That is…" Kawashiro whispered, "…A Meringian?"
She could clearly see the alien looking at her house nervously while behaving in a panicked manner.
"What the hell is a Meringian doing in front of our house?" the bluehead continued asking.
It was usual to find Meringian tourists in the major cities and historical sites of Tyrador. However, it was unlikely for Meringians to be in residential areas that were mainly Tyradorian houses with no attraction sites.
She gently moved her fingers as she gave subliminal messages that only Kochiya would understand.
"Beats me up," Kochiya replied.
The greenhead continued to observe the alien carefully.
A few questions appeared in her mind.
Who was the alien? What was his purpose? Why would a Meringian appear right in front of her house?
She then recalled something important.
Shirayuki did mention that she was being hunted by some alien magicians. The alien magicians were the ones that have injured her beforehand.
Both Kochiya and Kawashiro knew that very well and still recalled the lunarian's statement clearly.
However, Kochiya could barely believe the sight in front of her eyes.
A…Meringian? Kochiya thought.
The Meringians.
They were very known to Tyradorians as a species that possessed a civilization equal in standing to them. Tyradorians in general respected the Meringians and the Meringian culture.
In fact, the relationship between the two civilizations were close. There were many visitors from Tyrador that would visit Mering and there were many Meringians that would visit Tyrador and other human worlds for tourism purposes. From an economic standpoint, the two civilizations frequently engaged in trade and economic cooperation.
Even the conglomerate that Kochiya worked for owned several regional headquarter branches in the Meringian worlds with Mering as the center of business operation due to its status as the capital of the civilization. Many large Tyradorian corporations were established as multiplanetary corporations in the Meringian worlds.
That was how integrated the two civilizations were in terms of commerce and diplomacy. Both the Confederation of Tyrador and the Meringian Cathedral were the only universal superpowers that existed in the same galaxy. It was unthinkable for the two civilizations to be at war.
It would be a war that would end all existence in the universe or possibly the omniverse.
Yet, she did not know that the Meringians were practicing magic. She doubted that any normal Tyradorian would.
After all, she did not feel any weird sensation or observation when she visited Mering for business purposes. Moreover, the Meringians seemed ordinary to her. There were no signs of any Meringian using any type of supernatural ability.
Because of that, if the Meringians performed magic then most Tyradorians would simply thought of it as another psychic ability.
Despite that, Kochiya knew that the alien standing in front of her was from a different world.
She was from the world of science.
The alien was from the world of magic.
His world was a world where the unimaginable such as magic and the occult exist. It was no longer a world dictated by common sense.
(What is this ridiculousness?!) Kochiya thought.
She had not remembered anything about her past as a shrine maiden thus she knew nothing about magic. Even if she retained her memories, there was nothing that she could do against the magic of the Meringian world that differed greatly from the magic of Gensokyou.
The same was true for the baffled Kawashiro Nitori. She might have been a true oddity.
Unlike Tyradorians that were humans and Meringians that were aliens, Kawashiro had a different nature compared to Kochiya that was human.
The bluehead was from a flesh-eating species known as the youkai, specifically the kappa species that fed on the fears and flesh of primitive Earth humans. Yet, her memory lost has caused her to forget her roots and led her to assume that she was a human.
Unfortunately, any youkai that forgot its original identity as a youkai would become human.
Such was the case of Kawashiro Nitori. Her memory lost has turned her into a human. Even so, the Psychic Development Curriculum was responsible to make this transformation an irreversible one.
Right now, Kawashiro was a pure, Tyradorian woman that was just as clueless as Kochiya in the field of magic.
Kawashiro looked at the greenhead.
"What should we do now?" Kawashiro asked.
Kochiya shrugged her shoulders. That question was difficult enough for Kochiya who knew nothing about magic.
"Beats me up…" Kochiya replied honestly. She could not even think of an answer.
At this moment, neither of them knew the right action to take. They were simply too confused to act.
Part 2
The Meringian named Duruk cursed as he heard the loud ringing of the alarm.
"Damn it!"
As a magician, he specialized in assassinating magicians in the most desolate places of the universe. He has slain many magicians that were deemed heretical and dangerous to the Cathedral. However, he did it in open places without gaining the attention of any unrelated people.
"How could a normal home be equipped with a detection device that could detect my cloaking magic?!"
The magician stepped back by two meters.
He could not understand how his flawless magic has been foiled by a mere scientific machine. The clergyman serving the Meringian Cathedral could not accept the fact that his magic spell would be foiled by a machine that was run using scientific equations.
This led him to reach another conclusion.
"Is this the doing of that dark magician?! Impossible! That lunatic barbarian should be unable to do this!"
The alien knew that his target's magical abilities were significantly inferior to his own.
He did not need to test his enemy's skill; he was experienced enough to execute his targets with the minimum required force. He preferred to ensure that his missions and executions were done perfectly without room for doubt or mistake.
As an experienced magic slayer that has killed many who were strayed from the path of the Cathedral, he knew the workings of magic exceptionally well.
"I see…so this magician is trying to play some tricks with me. Well then,"
The alien gave a cold smile.
He was filled with the emotional rush of someone who was excited to execute his enemy.
For the alien, the more enemies that he slayed the higher was his worth. Killing others became an achievement to him and the goal of killing the most number of enemies was his ultimate trophy.
"I hope you will entertain me for a while, barbarian."
The magician alien leapt forward.
Honestly, he was unused to urban magical combat in Tyrador.
Normally, his missions would be in alien planets where magic was practiced or in the slums of Meringian colonies where bandits and groups that opposed the authority of the Cathedral gathered.
He would be sent to eliminate any opposition to the Cathedral and any Meringian groups that were practicing any religion other than the worship of Deoh.
This was his first time being sent to capture an alien magician in the world of science where most agents would refrain themselves from entering Tyrador. The Confederation of Tyrador was a difficult place for magicians and religious people.
The scientific atmosphere in this planet was a deterrent to most magicians regardless of religion or affiliation.
He knew that he was taking an unnecessary risk to eliminate his enemy. He was just like a financial speculator that was taking an unnecessary risk to obtain uncertain gains from a decision.
Even so, his inflated ego as an anti-magic specialist has blocked his mind from thinking rationally.
He would gladly die in the name of the Cathedral if his mission was completed.
(I have no other option then. I will bury that magician along with this house. To ensure her demise, I'll cast a soul-locking spell and find her body. HEHEHEHE!)
The Meringian Cathedral has a long history of exterminating magicians and using the soul and the body of the exterminated magicians for various purposes. The alien named Duruk knew that. His centuries of experience with the Cathedral gave him the right to make such claims mainly because his words were true.
He immediately came up with a rough idea in his mind.
He would destroy the security mechanisms that would hinder him from reaching his target. He would neutralize anything that was standing between him and his target.
Once all obstacles were removed, he would slay the damned magician for good.
It was a simple and clear plan. There was no complicated planning or jargons involved.
There was nothing to be worried about if there was no outsider involved. The Tyradorian government was a part of this mission.
If anything went out of control, the government would cover it up as well. The hypocritical Tyradorian government would do it to keep themselves popular for the next general election.
If issues such as this went public, the Tyradorians might not vote for the current government. Due to that reason, the government was forced to be a part of this mission. Moreover, the target was a magician who believed in religion. It has always been a policy of the government to execute religious people.
Thus, Duruk could relax and focus on slaying his target.
But something immediately destroyed his ambition and the atmosphere surrounding him.
The alien stopped moving for a few seconds.
It was not something extraordinary. It was not a powerful magic spell. Nor was it any psychic ability.
The 'thing' that froze him was no more than mere voices.
"Hold right there, weird Meringian!"
The voices belonged to two humans. The alien knew that much and twitched his lips.
Damn it, he thought.
The voice of two women startled the alien. The alien realized that he has been noticed.
He realized that he was caught in a complicated situation. He was seen in action.
It was not something that he could easily cover up after leaving the crime scene.
Even then, he found it unsurprising and thought that it should be expected. The alarm was triggered by his presence (or so he assumed) thus there should be people noticing his existence.
Due to that, the alien assumed that the machines detected his presence despite being cloaked.
Since he did not wish to waste his magical potency, he immediately stopped his invisibility spell and appeared normally.
But that was not the issue that bothered the alien. That was a minor issue that could be resolved easily.
The issue was that there were witnesses to his activity that was deemed as a secret mission.
As a secret agent that was supposed to execute everything in secrecy, he could not afford to be seen by anyone unaffiliated to his mission especially Tyradorians.
He did not care about the Meringians. Of course, it would cause some trouble but he could pull some strings from the Cathedral to solve any possible outcome with the Meringians.
However, Tyradorians would cause different issues. Unlike Meringians that would bow before the Cathedral, the Tyradorians stood proudly against the wishes of the Cathedral.
Moreover, the voices were undoubtedly human voices but they were speaking in the Meringian language. Even so, he knew the difference between a native speaker and a speaker from Tyrador.
He realized that it was too late and lamented his fate.
It seems that today is my bad day, the alien thought.
"Tyradorians? There's no option then."
The alien turned his attention to the two women. He felt a sudden urge to execute the two women yet he still remembered to practice some level of self-restrain.
"Are you the owners of this house?" Duruk asked.
Something came into his mind. The success or failure of this mission depended on this plan, and the success of this plan depended on his negotiation skills and the Tyradorians' cooperation.
"Yes, you Meringian intruder! What about it?!" shouted Nitori furiously.
The agent named Duruk gave a calm composure and a kind smile. He expected such reactions from the newcomers and maintained a rational thinking.
"I come with peace, I bring no weapon. I do not mean any harm. There is no reason for me to be hostile against you."
"You almost destroyed our house and now you're acting kind?" Nitori continued. "What kind of shitty plans are you trying to accomplish here?!"
The Meringian raised his hand in an apologetic manner. Kawashiro however ignored the man's body language and continued aiming the man with words.
"Do you want me to call the prosecutors and cops?!" the bluehead threatened.
Do you really think that they will help you? Heh, I am acting under the permission of your government! Duruk thought.
The government would most likely turn a blind eye to Nitori's plight. The alien knew it better than anyone else.
Even so, the alien realized that it was a waste of time to confront the Tyradorians.
The two women were not his target. The dark magician inside the house was his target and he should focus on his mission rather than getting himself in stupid, meaningless fights.
Thus, it would be better if he could persuade them to cooperate with him. He could simply take Shirayuki without any meaningless battle.
It would shorten the time needed for him to accomplish the mission.
He could also escape the hassle of handling with the red tape of the Tyradorian government.
"I apologize for my rude actions…but my actions were justified."
Duruk kneeled before both Nitori and Sanae immediately after he finished his sentence. It was a sign of apology from the alien to the two humans.
It was a Meringian tradition. It was just like some cultures that bowed to others as a sign of apology and respect.
"Justified?" Kawashiro asked. "How is attacking someone's house justified, weirdo! Is that what the Cathedral teaches to everyone in the Meringian worlds?"
"Just why did you try to attack our house? On top of that, you're using some type of weird power as well!" continued Sanae.
The greenhead then folded her arms.
The Meringian stood up from his kneeling position in a calm manner.
The alien's movement itself was insignificant.
Despite that, the two humans stepped back for unknown reasons. Perhaps they were worried that the Meringian would suddenly attack them. It was better to be careful than to be sorry.
But they were mistaken. The alien did not attack them.
Instead, Duruk then pointed to the interior of the house.
"We have detected an irregularity coming from that house. Unfortunately, that irregularity has been classified as a major threat to us."
"An irregularity?" Kawashiro pushed further. "What is this…irregularity that you speak about?"
Duruk nodded.
"Yes. An irregularity that threatens the stability of the Cathedral. That thing is dangerous and cannot be allowed to run amok. If not handled carefully, the stability of the Cathedral and the Confederation might collapse. Therefore, I humbly request that the two of you hand the person hiding inside your house to us peacefully and everything will be settled."
Duruk thought that Sanae and Nitori did not know about the world of magic. For that reason, he purposely refused to use the term 'magician'. The word 'irregularity' was sufficient to explain the situation to the two women.
The alien said that without expressing any emotion other than malice. Even Kochiya and Kawashiro could feel the hostility overflowing from his words.
"We are willing to pay for retributions and any loss suffered that both of you requested. Other than that, you can return to your normal lives without any intervention from us."
"…"
Kochiya and Kawashiro remained silent.
The alien thought that his generous offer has shaken the women.
"No matter what the cost is, the Meringian Cathedral can pay it directly to the two of you. Name me your price and we can discuss about the details further."
He mentioned it as if he was buying a slave from a slave merchant. From a business point of a view, it was a lucrative offer that only an idiot would reject.
Yet, Kochiya did not really care about the offer.
"What are you going to do with her?" asked Kochiya.
The alien merely grinned as he heard Kochiya's question.
Kochiya's expression turned from a solemn one to one filled with displease and disgust after she saw Duruk's face.
"Just simple stuff…oh, do not worry. Humans might be worried about things like slave trade and sex slaves but I am not a sexual predator. I'm a clergyman who gave my everything to Deoh without any question."
At the same time, Kochiya was thinking about something related to her conversation with Shirayuki earlier.
She decided to speak her mind.
"Wait…" she muttered. "Are you the magicians that have been chasing Shirayuki?!" the greenhead replied.
The alien seemed puzzled and surprised upon hearing the word 'magicians'.
It was impossible. Tyrador was a world of science where the idea of magic was rejected by the scientific community. All supernatural phenomena were called 'psychic abilities'. There was no room for the occult to grow in this planet.
Even Duruk, a clergy serving the Cathedral knew that very well.
He thought that his ears were faulty. It was very unlikely for someone from the world of science to know about magic.
"Ma-gicians?" the alien asked. "What is that? Is it a type of occult movement?"
He decided to play the fool.
How could ordinary Tyradorians know about magic? He must have misheard the word.
"Don't act stupid with me! Are you the magician that has been hunting Shirayuki?"
Again, the word 'magician' was used. Duruk now realized that Kochiya was not throwing some weird words. The greenhead knew about the world of magic or at least, the existence of magic and its practitioners.
This time, the alien's expression was of amusement and excitement. He did not expect Kochiya Sanae to use the term 'magician'.
He was also shocked to learn that the greenhead knew about how they have been chasing Shirayuki.
However, as a professional magic hunter he maintained his professional front. He simply smiled.
"Oh, so the two of you knew about the world of magic?" he replied casually.
Kochiya and Kawashiro took a step back.
The Meringian extended his arms in excitement.
"Well, I thought that only a small percentage of Tyradorians truly knew about the existence of magic. This is news to me but this makes things easier."
(A small percentage…?) Kawashiro thought.
Duruk did not know how exactly Sanae and Nitori knew about the existence of magic.
The dark magician's work…huh? Just how much did that devil briefed to these atheists?
Perhaps Shirayuki had told them about it. Regardless of that, his mission remained the same.
Executing Shirayuki was his top priority and there was nothing that would stop him from doing it.
"What are you planning to do with her?" Nitori asked. "Are you planning to kill her?"
Duruk thought that it was weird but the two women asked their questions in an ordered fashion.
Nevertheless, he patiently replied.
"You see…we Meringians Executioners uphold the law of the Meringian Cathedral. I'm pretty sure you know what the Cathedral is," the Meringian replied in a sanguine fashion.
Both Kawashiro Nitori and Kochiya Sanae felt a tinge of unpleasantness as they heard the answer.
The Meringian Cathedral was the ultimate ruling body of the Meringian worlds. It was also the highest theological institution of the Meringian religion.
Duruk continued. He did not care about the two Tyradorians standing before him.
"But that magician is a primitive heretic that is not following the way of the Cathedral. To put it simple, she is a black magic practitioner and must be exterminated through any means possible."
Sanae and Nitori looked at each other and realized something.
This was no longer the realm of the ordinary psychic life they have led for the last hundred years.
This was another realm where things like magic and magicians exist.
There was no need to enter Gensokyou to discover or more accurately rediscover magic.
Instead, magic had appeared before them.
It was weird, but they have just met Shirayuki for less than a day.
Now, standing before them were magicians that were truly wishing to end her life.
"You…" muttered Sanae.
Duruk, who was expecting a positive reply from the two women gave a smile of 'That's it!'
"How can you easily judge and wish people to die?! What did she ever do to you or Mering?! Is she a threat to your planet? The planet that serves as the center of a universal superpower with two hundred million standing soldiers could never be taken down by a woman like her!"
Both Sanae and Nitori knew that there was no reason for them to be moralistic.
They could easily hand her over and end the story of their involvement in the hidden world of magic. There was no reason for them to be involved in the issue between a lunarian and the Meringian Cathedral.
In fact, if they have handed Shirayuki over to the magician then everything would be settled peacefully. Both Kochiya and Kawashiro could return to their daily lives without having any connection to the occult.
However, there was a dwelling instinct of 'over our dead bodies, freako!' dwelling within them.
The instinct was telling them to fend off the intruder and protect the lunarian.
It was different from someone acting out of personal interest.
Was it due to their interest in the lunarian?
Or perhaps did they receive orders from lunarians to protect Shirayuki?
Or maybe the lunarians paid them with stacks of gold?
The answer was no. Far from it. They weren't hired bodyguards that were responsible to defend the lunarian from her enemies.
Rather, it was unknown if the lunarians would care about defending Shirayuki from an alien race that were superior to themselves. The cowardly, exclusive people that were secluded in a small world would never care about its own people who left the capital without the permission of the monarch.
And the lunarians have no personal attachment to Shirayuki. Unlike Yagokoro that was a fellow founder of the capital and one of its greatest minds or Kaguya that was a member of royal family, Shirayuki was an expendable resource that could be discarded anytime.
For that reason, it was impossible to assume that they were paid by lunarians.
Thus, why?
The reason behind their instincts was a simple one. Some people might have considered it as a childish reason.
It was simple enough that it required no explanation; yet it was difficult since it could not be conveyed through words.
Were they altruistic? Perhaps they were. Perhaps they weren't.
Even Kochiya and Kawashiro were clueless about the answer.
However, if there was a sentence to summarize their thoughts at that time it was one: Wasn't that the right thing to do?
That was their belief.
Part 3
Duruk nodded in a disappointed manner.
He has prepared to receive that rejection from the women as a possibility. He knew that life was never too easy. If it was, then there was no need for him to hunt the magician in a different world.
Still, he could not help but to feel a little bit down with himself.
He believed that he attempted to resolve everything in the least bloody manner.
He thought that this was the best way he could come up with. No one would suffer from this exchange.
Unfortunately, his attempt to resolve this issue through diplomacy failed.
His proposal to bribe the two women was rejected without any room for negotiation.
"I see, I see. Tyradorians are hardcore atheists but their so-called humanity and discipline is quite commendable."
He then remembered something that he learned about Tyradorian history.
"Oh, but I will still hunt her."
"What?" Kawashiro asked. Her eyes narrowed as she felt disgusted by the blunt confession of the alien.
"She is a black magician and is harmful to us. Just now, you said that she could not cause any damage to our planet. Well then, should I tell you a story the dangers of a black magician?"
"The dangers of a dark magician?" Kochiya asked.
Duruk smiled and continued.
"Wait…wasn't your home world Atlantis destroyed due to religious fanatics who believed themselves to be magicians? That is what we, servants of the Meringian Cathedral think when we talk about black magic and its practitioners."
Of course, black magic in the definition of the Meringian Cathedral was very wide.
It was all forms of magic that used any system or base different from the one taught by the Cathedral. It included all forms of magic other than magic based on the Cathedral.
"It is heresy, a nuisance and a dark existence that could only be purified either through annihilation or baptism."
"Annihilation or baptism?" asked Nitori further. "What are you trying to imply here?"
Kawashiro knew the answer to that question. However, she was just trying to delay the man by extending the conversation.
"Ah, surely you know what that means," the alien replied.
He knew the purpose Kawashiro asked the question.
"But if I still need to say it, so be it. There is only two option for her: to be executed to death and have her existence erased, or be purified by joining us as a loyal, devout servant of the Cathedral. That is done by converting her pagan, inferior religion to the worship of Deoh."
Kochiya and Kawashiro twitched their lips while Duruk's lips curled upwards in exhilaration.
"Deoh is willing to accept repentance from anyone who wishes for true salvation."
As Duruk finished his sentence, Kawashiro twitched her lips in annoyance.
Duruk simply curled his lips upwards.
"Interested to be one of us, atheist?"
"What kind of disgusting religion is this?" Kochiya asked. "Coercing people to…"
"You mongrels and annoying atheists. What do you know about Deoh?" Duruk continued. "You heretics. Don't mock the omnipotent Deoh with your disgusting materialistic knowledge."
Meringians believed in a monotheistic, omnipotent deity known as Deoh. They believed that Deoh was the only, true God that created the omniverse and its wonders and gave his blessings to those who worship Him.
The religion of Deoh has been around for millions of years.
The religion has existed before Yagokoro Eirin was born and was officially 'perfected' a few thousand years after the Confederation of Tyrador was established in the Sector when the Meringian Cathedral came into power.
It was through the belief in Deoh that the whole Meringian society was built.
A practical theocracy known as the Meringian Cathedral centered at the home world of the Meringian worlds, Mering ruled over the Meringian civilization.
"The purpose of the Meringian Cathedral is to rule over all magic and religious practitioners. There is nothing above Deoh and the Papal is His Vice-Ruler. The sin of rejecting Deoh is big, but the sin of rejecting Deoh and choosing fake, polytheistic gods over Him is even greater. Anyone doing anything in the name of gods other than Deoh are worshippers of the devil. As for the false gods, those that dared to give blessings and curses, answer the transient beings' prayers, gather faith, rule over domains or worlds, and judge people following their own sets of black and whites are devils that must be executed."
That was the mindset of the elitist clergyman of the Meringian Cathedral. To Duruk, there was no other religion or faith other than the faith to Deoh and the Cathedral.
All other faiths were nothing more than devil worship and must be erased from existence at all costs. Only the religion of Deoh was the true religion.
"We, the Executioners specialize in exterminating both false gods and their followers. I myself have slayed six thousand false gods and executed more than a million black magicians."
Duruk grinned as he muttered that sentence. He felt that it was an accomplishment for him to execute as many polytheistic gods and their followers as he could.
"This is crazy," muttered Sanae.
Kawashiro nodded.
"So, will you hand over the dark magician? If she accepted Deoh wholeheartedly, then she will be spared after being taught about His Divine Grace."
The situation and the words muttered by the alien was crazy enough.
Kochiya wanted to land her hardened fist on that alien's face badly.
She realized the issue behind this incident.
There were idiots that wanted to force their ideologies upon other people.
They believed themselves to be the righteous and would do anything to force their 'truths' upon other people by hook or by crook.
She however could not accept such method. To be honest, the current Kochiya Sanae knew nothing about religion.
Religion was something that she learned in history and philosophy classes. She knew nothing about religion other than those mentioned in her textbooks.
Yet, it was not right to force someone to believe in something that could not be proven with any evidence. Was there any compelling evidence that Deoh indeed created the world?
She knew that the Tyradorian government was as lunatic as the magician standing before her. The government would execute anyone who believed in any religion or god.
In that case, the Confederation of Tyrador and the Meringian Cathedral were just like each other.
Yet, she had no power to change the government's approach as a person without support from others. A mere human could not stand up to a superpower government that possessed the strength to silence any opposition without help and support from fellow citizens.
Nor could she raise her fist against the powerful Meringian Cathedral as an institution that stood at the same level as the Confederation. It would be terribly idiotic for her to do so.
However, she could stop this magician from forcing his ideas on other people.
Or so she thought.
"His Divine Grace?" Kochiya asked. "What kind of divinity gives his grace after threatening to kill someone?"
"Deoh can do anything he likes and He needs not to play by the rules. He is the Creator and Destroyer, the ruler of all. Every existence in the omniverse is beneath Him."
Kochiya and Kawashiro looked at each other and nodded.
At that time, they realized something.
No word could penetrate the alien's mind. There was no room for negotiation.
"I still can't accept your nonsense and no, we won't hand her to you."
"Very well," the alien replied. His lips were curled upwards and a malicious aura could be felt.
Kochiya and Kawashiro distanced themselves from the alien. They could sense the hostile atmosphere in the area.
"I am not supposed to harm any Tyradorian in this mission…" the alien muttered, "But this can be considered as an exception. You irreligious bigots can pray to science and ask it to give salvation from Deoh's wrath when your existences are removed from the omniverse."
Kochiya's right arm were tightened.
The term 'lunatics' came into her mind.
The fact that someone would actually decide to go as far as killing someone else just for the sake of 'protecting' an institution that could never be challenged by a mere human was unimaginable.
"Nitori…" the greenhead muttered, "take her away. I feel like releasing some stress today."
Kawashiro nodded. She understood what it meant and ran right into the house.
"Do you actually think that I'll let that magician pass?" Duruk asked.
Kochiya closed the gap between herself and the magician.
She was only seven meters away from the magician.
"Again…I must apologize for the inconvenience and do not blame this on me. I too, wish for peace. Yet, this must be done."
Kochiya understood what the alien meant.
"Boreas."
The alien muttered only one word.
Yet, the instant he finished his word, powerful streams of air flew from in front of him towards every possible direction.
Despite that, it did not seem like that. It seemed more like a giant explosion that blew the woman away from the magician.
Kochiya was pushed back by a few meters and felt a cold shiver running through her spine.
(But this is not winter…?) she thought.
The wind was no different from a freezing wind during winter that froze anything in its way.
At the same time, Kochiya thought about something.
This irregular phenomenon called magic; would the God Killer be able to erase it?
She might have negated Shirayuki's flame, but the Meringian's magic spell was of a different system.
Would her ability really work against Meringian spells?
(I just need to try and see how it works, then!)
A few meters away from the greenhead, a certain magician could be seen smiling.
His smile was an arrogant declaration of victory.
"Boreas. In the name of Deoh who rules over the wind, I cast you to imprison His enemies and place their souls in eternal slumber!"
Duruk moved his arm in a linear motion from top to bottom as if he was chopping something with his arm.
Another powerful wind exploded in all directions.
"Aha. Is this some kind of a freezing planet now?"
The green ground was turned into a mini-Artic land with ice covering the house.
Everything around the house were covered by thick ice. It was just like a house in Siberia during winter.
A thick fog covered the region
Duruk looked around. It was night at a weekend thus he doubted that Tyradorians would be relaxing inside their homes. Yet, he needed to ensure that no one truly saw what he did.
All witnesses must be silenced at any cost.
As for Kochiya, the alien felt that there was no requirement for him to check on the woman. He was certain that the greenhead was already turning into ice that would melt slowly during the day with her body malfunctioning.
All that was left regarding Kochiya Sanae was her soul. And Duruk would exterminate her soul as well.
"Hmm…you did well for an idiot. But this is as far as you go, atheist. Your pitiful existence stops here," he muttered. After turning his head towards the house, the man looked at the thick fog that covered Kochiya Sanae.
"Now, it is time to erase your friend and the devil worshipper."
"Oh?"
It was a simple word. Indeed, it was.
There was nothing significant about that word. It was not a magical incantation nor was it a type of high-impact words that influencers and politicians used.
Yet, it was enough to freeze the magician for a few seconds. He was not caught in his wind spell, yet he froze.
In that freezing area, a cold sweat dripped from the magician. The area cold yet the alien sweated.
The ground was frozen except for the area surrounding Kochiya.
And the greenhead stood.
Unharmed. There was no sign of the woman being frozen by his wind. Other than that, the woman slightly shivered and looked around her house that was covered with ice.
It was an unfathomable incident. The greenhead should have been turned into a human ice. The wind that was -273.15 degrees Celsius should have halted the movement of any particle beyond the minimal energy held by particles due to quantum interactions.
The alien then remembered.
He was inside the Confederation of Tyrador. He was inside the stronghold of the science side that developed supernatural abilities in every citizen without exception.
"Are you sure that you can simply freeze me in such a pathetic manner?" Kochiya asked. "You should try again, failure."
The house's temperature regulation system immediately heated the ground as it detected a sudden change in temperature.
Duruk could feel the increasing warmth coming from the ground he stepped on, and frowned.
"A psychic ability?" the alien deduced. "This can be troublesome."
"Really, what am I hesitating about?" Kochiya replied. "I can even kill God. I won't be affected by this stupid magic trick of yours."
After all, she wielded the power to destroy the supernatural and kill the omnipotent.
Duruk merely narrowed her eyes in irritation as he heard the greenhead claiming that she could kill God. Deoh was absolute, there was nothing that could kill Him.
She then moved forward as the ice melted and the water being evaporated from the ground. It caused the whole region to be covered with white fog.
With every step she took, the alien moved back by a centimeter.
Kochiya looked around and saw nobody besides herself and the enemy.
Kawashiro must have escaped through another passageway since the greenhead did not notice her coming out through the front door.
"I'll PULVERIZE YOU, HUMAN! The air is the harbinger of destruction!"
A gust of wind travelled through a linear direction while whirling like a drill.
The wind was powerful enough to turn anything in its way into nothingness. This was not a simple hypothesis.
The ground that was mixed with water and melting ice were scattered in various directions and cracks could be seen.
Even then, Kochiya's reaction has been simple.
She did not attempt to run or hide anywhere. Nor did she jump or bend her body.
She simply raised her right hand. That was all.
As soon as the wind contacted that miraculous hand that could even destroy the miracles of God, it was erased.
The magician stepped back.
"What was that ability?" the alien muttered. He was shocked. It was obvious from his facial expression.
The powerful gust of wind that could reduce even a wandering soul into nothingness dissipated and lost its energy.
"Heh. Was that it?"
Kochiya walked forward without minding the shattered ground. Courage has just returned to her.
She has been hesitant due to her inexperience with handling the enemies using a set of laws different from the one she knew. However, that would not hinder her now.
She moved.
At the same time, the baffled magician stepped back.
The enemy before the magician was a female human.
If you punched her, she would feel pain and if she was sliced, she would bleed.
Even if she was Tyradorian, she was undoubtedly still human. She was not an immortal being with some weird superpower.
"What?!"
But how could a human withstand a freezing temperature of absolute zero? It was impossible for anyone to imagine it.
And how did she manage to turn his drill of death into a mere breeze? Was she even human in that sense?
"The air is the harbinger of destruction!"
The alien thought that the greenhead was a monster in a human body.
Again, a powerful gust of wind drilled its way towards Kochiya.
In response, Kochiya used her right hand.
That was all it took for the magician to confirm that the woman was using a weird type of ability.
Did she use a magic interference system? That's impossible…she's not a magician!
Magic interference system was a type of mass-effect spell that could nullify the effects of magic by interfering the enemy's magic with the interferer's own magical energy. It was like a signal jammer that used the concept of wave interference to disturb and fail signals being sent.
Duruk immediately dismissed the thought of Kochiya using magic or magic interference system.
It was impossible for that woman to be using magic in the city of science. If she was, then Duruk's magic detection device would have picked up the signal.
In addition to that, Duruk has casted two different spells. To cast a magic interference spell, the magician was required to understand the mechanism behind the targeted magic. Different spells have different interference patterns, thus only extremely skilled magicians could pull off major interferences.
In fact, it was theoretically impossible for magicians to cast an omni-interception magic.
To interfere with all magic was to understand and cast all magic.
Such beings need not interfere with any magic spell.
In fact, such beings would have obtained the capability to cast extremely potent spells that could even twist and change the foundations of the omniverse.
Such spells could change the value of 1+1, change the universal laws of gravitation from an inversed square relationship to a direct relationship between force and distance, resurrect the dead and break and twist the conceptual laws such as causality, boundary, logic, immortality, existence and infinity with an absolute, unchallenged decree that no other ability or spell could reverse these changes.
Anyone who has mastered all magic to the extent of entering the domain of the omnipotent God was known as a Magic God. This being would be unchallenged in the domain of magic and a Magic God rules over all of Magic.
Of course, the Meringian Cathedral could not accept the existence of a Magic God that defied and defiled the concept of Deoh.
A mortal could never attain omnipotence no matter how hard the effort has been. Magic was meant to be a blessing from Deoh and not a means to challenge Him.
But Kochiya did not seem to be using magic. Thus, Duruk rejected the idea of Kochiya being a Magic God or anything close to that.
Duruk attacked Kochiya by casting another spell that immediately became nothing as soon as it contacted the woman's right hand.
That right hand was not powered with any magic, nor was it supplied with the ability of the deities residing within the Moriya shrine.
Then, why?
That thought made that magician shiver.
Who was the enemy before him? Was it a monster in the form of a human? Anyway, Duruk felt an oozing sensation of nervousness, fear and confusion.
"You will definitely be nothing more than a stain on the ground!"
As the alien said that, Kochiya grinned.
"In the name of Deoh, I cast the king of devils into oblivion!"
A large circle that glowed a bluish light expanded beneath Duruk's legs.
Kochiya continued and charged forward.
From within the circle, a gigantic hand that was five meters tall and six meters in width appeared from the soil. It seemed that the hand was made from the soil within the magic circle, as the hand continued to gather the soil surrounding it to strengthen its composition.
The hand of death charged towards Kochiya at the speed of a bullet flying towards its target as if it was swatting a fly.
"Out of my way, magician."
Kochiya replied as she swung her right hand and destroyed the gigantic formation that was a mass of dirt, soil and grass.
The gigantic structure crumbled and fell into pieces.
Instead of running forward, Kochiya leapt back to avoid the mass of dirt from hitting her. Somehow, she felt that she had to retreat rather than going forward towards the enemy.
The greenhead could see the magician smiling maliciously through the gaps of the falling dirt.
The mass of dirt and soil that has fallen on the ground reconstructed itself. Literally.
This time, it took the form of a giant fist that directly smashed itself towards the ground.
The impact from the collision between the fist and the ground created cracks and mini craters everywhere.
Kochiya had to jump to move forward.
Yet, that was not the last of the attack from the giant fist.
Numerous sharp-edged stones were fired from the giant fist towards Kochiya. The greenhead could not count the exact figure but she could estimate the bullets to be more than two hundred stones.
"Enjoy your last dinner, human."
Part 4
Kochiya Sanae and Duruk.
The human and the Meringian was fighting against each other.
The situation seemed skewed to the magician's favor; every time Kochiya dispelled an attack there would be more bullets coming towards her.
The magician merely folded his arm and looked at his enemy with a look of satisfaction.
One could tell from the grim look of his eyes that he was thoroughly enjoying this moment. The clergyman enjoyed tormented the weak and strong alike. The only requisite for the alien was that his enemies must be declared as nemesis of the Cathedral.
He would not scratch anyone that believed in Deoh as the supreme creator but everyone else was fair game to him. He cared not about those with different religion from him; this mindset of his has been dyed by the Cathedral ever since he was recruited as a clergy.
While the magician stood without any sign of being worried, Kochiya was moving nimbly as she tried to reach her enemy.
She carefully avoided the bullets like a seasoned veteran in a Spell Card game while her eyes were focused at her target. Somehow, she felt as if she had dodged bullets in a similar fashion before.
Occasionally, she would bend her knees and at other times she would jump to avoid the bullets from hitting her.
One of the stones sliced through her coat as the woman avoided the attack from hitting her elbow directly.
Another stone almost sliced through Kochiya's right cheek.
"!"
The greenhead raised her guard against the countless bullets shooting towards her.
"Not bad. However, I believe that this can be settled without any bloodshed, Tyradorian."
Duruk again spoke with a commanding tone. It was true that he had the upper hand in this scenario.
His fear has turned to an emotion of excitement and amusement. Oppressing other people was his favorite hobby.
"The condition is simple. Hand over the dark magician and we will compensate you and this house of yours. Consider this a mercy from me and the Cathedral."
Kochiya decided to ignore the offer. She could not think of any reason to agree with the alien.
"What if I refuse?" she asked.
The alien grinned. To be honest, he preferred that Kochiya rejected his offer. That way, he could kill the annoying greenhead and the magician along with her.
"Then, so be it. Be buried in front of your house as I execute you and use that irreligious soul of yours as a source of power for myself. Behold, atheist! Witness the power of Deoh and correct that immature soul of yours!"
(Use your brain, Sanae!)
The greenhead continued to jump and negated some of the bullets with her right hand.
However, she knew that the game of negating bullets would never end.
For one time, she thought that the magician was cheating like a gamer that applied cheat codes to ease his victory.
"This is unfair!" she shouted. "The occult is really unfair!"
(What sort of ability is this alien using?)
Kochiya now realized that she was fighting someone who was using a set of laws different from science.
She knew that she would be facing some oddities, but she did not expect the oddities to be overwhelmingly different from her own expectation.
"What's wrong? Where the hell is your confidence from before?" asked the alien. "Have you decided to join the Cathedral?"
Kochiya merely ignored the provocation from the alien.
Instead, she extended her right arm and touched the giant arm that has been shooting bullets towards her.
As expected, the giant fist crumbled onto the ground again.
Kochiya used the opportunity to charge forward and rushed towards the alien.
However, the smile on the alien's face remained.
"!"
Kochiya felt a large movement on the ground beneath her.
"You have stepped into your graveyard, human."
The giant arm rematerialized and grabbed Kochiya from beneath the ground.
"Tch!"
The giant hand crumbled yet again as it contacted the right hand and the greenhead landed on the ground.
This time Kochiya's white coat was covered in dirt.
If she negated the giant fist that became the origin of the endless bullets, she might be able to secure a few seconds without any bullet.
(That fist will regenerate after I remove my right hand!)
She leapt backwards by ten meters.
At the same time, another fist came from the ground.
The giant fist then reached for the greenhead.
As it moved, it created a strikingly loud sound that could shatter the eardrums of any listener.
"The occult is nothing more than a cheat!" Kochiya shouted.
Unlike psychic abilities that could be explained through scientific equations, Kochiya knew nothing about the mechanism behind magic.
Was there any set of laws that governed the occult?
Kochiya honestly knew nothing about the answer.
Thus, she could only do one thing to prolong the battle.
Run. That was the specialty that Kochiya has developed in this planet.
"Is that so? I'm sorry to disappoint you," Duruk muttered casually, "Running away won't help you…"
As the alien spoke, another giant circle manifested on the ground.
This time, another giant hand grew from the ground that Kochiya was stepping on.
The greenhead was forced to jump away from the hand towards the ground. Unlike her former self, she did not possess the ability to fly. Thus, escaping the ground was the hardest hurdle for the greenhead.
Even if she jumped a few dozen meters above the ground, gravity would eventually pull her down. She could not overcome the fundamental force of nature in her current state.
"Dammit!"
While Kochiya rushed out of her house, the alien took his steps slowly.
He seemed relaxed unlike Kochiya.
"I am coming, my dear atheist. Time for salvation."
With every step the alien took, the giant hand moved faster. The magic circle that was the foundation of the magic spell followed the giant hand.
The giant hand shattered the ground as it chased Kochiya like a missile that has been locked to chase a target.
(Calm down, Kochiya Sanae. That thing must have a weakness!)
She then noticed something.
(Wait…weakness?)
Part 5
The giant fist slammed itself to the ground and created a roar that was almost impossible for anyone in the residential area to not hear the sound.
It was as if Thor has descended and decided to destroy the whole region by slamming his hammer of terror.
There was a large crater caused by the impact of the giant fist.
Kochiya managed to escape the direct hit from the giant fist. However, there were some scratches on her coat, and her neck tie was sliced into two pieces.
"DAMN YOU! Crap, I need to buy another tie after this!" Kochiya shouted autonomously. "Do you know how valuable this neck tie is?! Professor Rikako bought this as a present for me when I got my first job!"
The greenhead could not help but to feel a little annoyed as she looked at her neck tie.
The Meringian found it interesting and laughed.
"I am about to execute you and you could still be furious after witnessing your neck tie being sliced into two?" the alien asked. "You are an interesting human! Never have I met anyone as removed from common sense as you!"
Kochiya then realized that she was in a battlefield and not a silly fight. She was not supposed to be thinking about a mere neck tie.
In the battlefield, survival was the most important thing. Weapons were important, but survival was of primary importance. If a weapon malfunctioned or was destroyed, a soldier still need to ensure his or her own survival.
If a soldier was captured by the enemy force, the soldier had to obey the enemy if no military secrets were exposed. It was a rule to ensure the person's survival.
Kochiya knew this rule of thumb, but it seemed that she was easily distracted by something else. Perhaps living as an ordinary civilian numbed her battle sense.
"Eh?" the greenhead muttered.
The alien was right. Why was she concerned about a neck tie when the alien was attempting to end her life?
(Tch! Anyway, I was thinking about that damn thing's weakness!)
Kochiya recalled the very thing she should be doing and continued moving forward.
"Oh, well. I loathe waiting."
As the Meringian finished his sentence, another powerful blow went towards Kochiya.
The giant fist opened and moved downwards as if it was swatting an insect on the ground.
The alien named Duruk no longer cared if he was seen by other Tyradorians. He was simply concerned about exterminating the vermin named Kochiya Sanae.
"This mad man! I thought he was supposed to be an undercover agent!" Kochiya muttered.
(Anyway…the circle beneath the whatever hand it is…why is following the giant hand?)
Kochiya thought of something.
(Is it a type of support system that allows the manifestation of that thing?)
Kochiya knew nothing about magic, however she realized something important about that field of knowledge.
It was not an omnipotent type of knowledge that could be casted like in RPGs that she played with Jade and Kawashiro.
It was a type of ability that was bounded to its own set of laws and rules just like how psychic abilities were bounded to its own set of laws.
(Should I try it?)
She would use her right hand against the glowing circle on the ground instead of the hand that was used as the weapon.
Without wasting any time, the greenhead lowered her body to the cracked ground.
"What?" Duruk muttered. He was pleasantly surprised by Kochiya's action as he thought that Kochiya decided to surrender herself.
"Do you want to be erased that badly now?" he asked. "Do not worry. This clergyman is an expert in exterminating vermin like you!"
The excited alien pointed his right arm towards Kochiya.
"GET LOST, HUMAN!"
The alien's voice roared loudly in the dark sky.
The giant hand immediately moved towards Kochiya's body as if it was responding to Duruk's command.
WHOOSH!
The gigantic hand slapped the ground.
A loud roar could be heard and the ground was shattered.
The impact caused by this attack was several times more powerful than the previous attacks.
Pieces of asphalt road flew everywhere into other people's home from the sheer impact of the destruction. It was literally the sound and power of destruction.
Duruk almost thought that it was impossible for Tyradorians inside the residential area to not listen to the sound of the earth shattering and the pieces of asphalt flying for several kilometers.
Thick fog from the asphalt and ground covered the entire region. It blocked Duruk's sight once again.
Tyrador was a Pure Land and its structures were especially hardened. Not even the impact of nuclear weapons, the full power of onis or lunarians' purifying weapons could cause a dent on Tyradorian structures.
However, the Meringian's magic has crushed the road easily.
From afar, Duruk simply grinned and walked forward.
The woman had taken a full impact of the giant hand's true attacking power. She should have been turned into minced human meat.
"Time for inspection…although this time, I doubt that I could see a human figure out of this."
He walked on the palm of the giant hand that was still on the ground.
He looked at the ground carefully.
As an executioner for the Cathedral, he was a thorough person.
His past experiences led him to become someone who would always cross-check everything before verifying any result.
In other words, he would not be satisfied until he saw compelling evidence that the woman has already been turned into minced meat with his own naked eyes.
But then, he felt a sense of displease.
"?!"
The giant hand crumbled, and the magician leapt backwards.
"WHAT?!"
Unlike the previous attempts where the hand would automatically regenerate upon being destroyed, the giant hand returned to the ground without being regenerated.
"What the hell is this?!"
He looked down.
The magic circle disappeared.
The magic circle that has been the foundation that supported the arm's existence with his magic power was no longer on the ground.
"That bitch!"
He turned back and his face paled.
A certain human with green hairs stood just three meters away from him.
A certain greenhead covered in dirt grinned.
There were traces of stones and asphalt on her. There were scratches on her face.
Even so, the woman was smiling devilishly.
Her fist was tightly clenched.
"Y-Y-You should've been turned into minced meat!" the alien shouted.
He stepped back as he prepared to cast another spell.
But Kochiya immediately leapt towards the alien.
The distance between them were no more than a meter. The alien was within Kochiya's range.
"In the name of Deoh, I cast away-!"
Kochiya raised her right hand.
That miraculous right hand that was both a curse and a blessing, a miracle yet a point of misfortune, something magical yet existed in the world of science, something that defied common sense yet existed in the realm of common sense.
The right hand that could kill the omnipotent God.
It might be useless in the Psychic Development Curriculum. It might be useless in her career. It might only function as a normal hand unlike other people's hands that could fire psychic energy, beams of light or any weird power.
Even so, there were other useful uses of that right hand.
For instance, punching the alien in front of her.
"I loather waiting, so here I come!" Kochiya shouted.
As soon as she finished her sentence, her right fist landed right on the Meringian's face.
She poured all her might on the alien's face and colorless liquid came out from the man's face.
The alien could not finish his incantation. Kochiya would not let that man to.
"This is for trying to kill other people!"
She grabbed the alien with her left hand and lifted her right hand once again.
"And this is for causing a ruckus here, you freako!"
Another powerful blow landed on the alien's face again.
This time, Kochiya released her grip from the magician.
The magician's body rotated in a circular fashion and bounced several times after hitting the ground.
Afterwards, the magician rested on the ground with his consciousness absent.
"Man, I overdid it."
Kochiya looked around and sighed.
"I guess I should really call Kotohime now," the greenhead muttered to herself.
