Disclaimer: I do not own Danmachi or anything created by the author Fujino Omori; all rights go to him. I only own my original characters Sleipnir, Ikuchi, Sylphie, and all the others.

Speech: Shimizu asks stupefied. "Wait, how come you are online right now? It's lunchtime for me!"

Thoughts: 'Yes, its around 3 AM right now.' Happa groans sleep deprived.

Screaming/Demonic Voice: Happa continues. "This also applies to the rest of my family. We always do stuff around the globe. It's like a plague infects my family with that trend."

Magic: Shimizu answers. "Why change a running system - Habits are the Best!"

Runes: Perfect, just perfect - Fuin!"

Writing: 'You know both our sleep schedules are cursed, once we focus on something. I mean we have also discussed this story till almost 2 AM on my side.'

Chapter 26 A God's Stance and A Messenger Reminisces

9 PM - Emergency Denatus - Takemikazuchi POV

Takemikazuchi and Freya were walking side by side towards Babel. Freya still adorned in her Valkyrie armour and wielding Gungnir, and Take in his stained robes wielding Futsu-no-Mitami. Both had cleaned their weapons but had little time for distractions as Feya reminded. "So, Take-kun what are you gonna do in the Emergency Denatus?"

With a concerted effort Take kept his gaze locked towards Babel, keeping his sight from Freya and his mind focused. "I will question the ineptitude of the gods of Orario. Besides you, nobody even noticed the appearance of a malicious spirit in their very own city."

Freya smiled at his side. "What of those who'd voice discontent with such an opinion? You'll make yourself more enemies Take-kun."

With a humorless laugh Take counters. "They already can't stand my guts. Besides, with the inconsequential squabbles between them I doubt they will pay too much attention to me. Apollo will be a good example for those still wishing to pick a fight, but this will placate them by giving them some entertainment."

With a twirl of Gungnir Freya grinned while glancing at the civilians gawking at the two of them. "This will be fun! I'll just have to keep a finger lightly on the pulse. It has been far too long since a god of war forced the other deities of Orario to play. It just hasn't been the same without the haughty bitch and the pervert. Perhaps you can bring back some action before the Promised Time."

They remained in silence for the rest of the way with Ottar trailing behind Freya adding a weight to the atmosphere about; the top familia captain and its deity had taken it upon themselves to act upon the crisis that had passed. The three ascended Babel with the elevator to the floor containing the amphitheater.

From there less than 5 minutes passed before they arrived and Ottar took a post within the entry chamber. As the two familia heads approached, two guild members opened the doors and the gods of war entered the amphitheater. Compared to the previous Denatus, almost every god was in attendance and the Ouranos's divine mirror was already in place. A heated discussion was happening inside, but with their entrance silence descended.

Take slowly walked into the middle of the room, before slowly letting his icy gaze roam over his fellow gods. Except for Freya and him, every other god was caught mute. Most apparent were Loki and the Norse gods in attendance. None of their eyes left Gungnir for even a second.

The remaining deities are focused on him and his weapon, as his use of arcanum was the cause for this emergency Denatus. "I think we all know why we are here. I'd like to ask a simple question. How can it be that in the strongest city on Genkai, with the most gods, A malicious spirit could appear?"

With his words the quiet was broken, and every god screamed over one another, all demanding answers without any rhyme or reason. This uproar continued until Ouranos's heavy voice silenced them. "Silence!"

With the call the gods stopped their bickering and Ouranos returned his focus on Take and Freya in the middle of the amphitheater. "Freya, Takemikazuchi, has the spirit been eliminated?"

Freya answers with a charming smile. "It has. Take-kun would have managed without my aid, but you know how it is. I can't just sit still if my city is in danger."

Loki gathered her wits and countered. "Ha, as if we'd believe that! Freya, you're just running after the next consort to amuse yourself with! Take I'd keep my distance! You know her reputation! If you aren't careful, she'll eat you before you know it!"

Take accepts Loki's warning with a small nod, but counters. "I very well know her reputation, but in contrast to any of you she has been the only one to act against the malicious kappa. Which begs the question, which one of you is supposed to keep an eye on spirits?"

Ganesha answers while flexing his muscles to every sentence. "I AM GANESHA! And every deity is responsible for spirits in their territory. In addition, my scribes are the central contact for spirit related problems for the PEOPLE! However, nothing has come to our ears. This suggests FOUL PLAY!"

Hermes stands up. "My familia also keeps their eyes and ears open, but we are primarily messengers and not many of my members are suited to find signs of corruption. This normally was tended to by the children of Astraea. Unfortunately, since she left Orario, none have risen to take her place."

Apollo interjects. "Yes, we get it Hermes could you finally shut up and let us get back on topic. This wrench of a god interrupted my fun time. It's obvious he caused this issue to rise in esteem for dealing with it."

Take's eyes hardened at the blind accusation. 'So, you want to use this as the reason for the war game?'

Freya's eyes shone in excitement at this. "Are you sure about that Apollo? Take-kun, will you let such outrageous accusations stand?"

Freya looked him directly in the eyes, which made it far more difficult to resist her charm and keep an even face, without making the situation worse. 'Curse this woman! She is setting me up!'

"I won't. After all, Apollo has no proof, and I went to great lengths to protect the children under my protection from said malicious spirit. His accusation questions my very dignity as a god of war!"

Apollo interrupts before he can go on. "Is that so? Then how did you manage to have 3 children at level 2 after less than 2 months?! Did you perhaps throw them against the poor kappa until it could no longer withstand them and fell to corruption?"

Ganesha calls out. "By the name of the People! This is going too far!"

Apollo ignored him. "It wouldn't surprise me after The Sly Blue attacked my poor Hyakinthos without provocation just to show his superiority! Takemikazuchi, I cannot let such injustice stand! I challenge you to a war game!"

Most gods quickly fell into a frenzy at Apollo's accusations all the while Take's temper was rising, but he had to control himself lest Apollo gain more ground.

Ganesha interrupts the other gods with his booming voice. "I GANESHA would like nothing more than a war game, between friends, but this situation is dire. The cause of the malicious spirit must be found! I say we ask the School District to help find the cause and have the war game after they leave!"

Ganesha sent him an apologetic look, but he understood that was the most his friend could do for him. So, he quickly finished the discussion before it could go further out of his favour. "I accept the challenge. The war game will start after the School District leaves. The terms can be discussed later." Finishing with obvious displeasure at his fellow gods.

Freya stepped in front of him. "Perfect. The wargame will begin 10 days after the School District leaves. That way the Goliath will respawn during the wargame, the terms shall be decided on the day the School District leaves! Until then I will send Hogni and Hedin to support the Ganesha familia in their search for malicious spirits and the cause of this event. They will assure neutrality should any evidence be found."

11 PM – Martial Dojo - Ouka POV

The day had been fruitful for Ouka. His training with Bedrin and his subordinates had been particularly enjoyable; it was almost like training with the Amaterasu's faction all over again. Even though he was an outsider, they treated him like a welcomed recruit and had a positive demeanor. They went through drills, discussed patrol routes and reports of some of Orario's districts, and even entered the Dungeon late in the day to put the formations he learned in the morning into practice.

Then, he came home to a very tense atmosphere.

Ever since they had performed the purifying bath the air in the Martial Dojo had changed; it was more vibrant and welcoming. When they returned from slaying the Infant Dragon the property reflected their pride and joy. Now? It felt like there was a heavy cloud over his shoulders. Something was weighing down on him.

He could only frown at the feeling and entered the small manor. Entry revealed that Chigusa and Sly laid unconscious in the common area on futons with bandages wrapped about injuries with their ruined equipment to the side, and Welf was in a similar red-soaked, bandaged state. Calmly, Ouka inquired with Welf revealing that something had happened today and that Take was away at an Emergency Denatus but wanted them to meet tonight so they could discuss things in detail.

This brought them to the current predicament. After cleaning themselves up, Ouka, Mikoto, Asuka, and Sly's party were waiting for Chigusa and Sly to regain consciousness. With a little rest, Chigusa awoke first and Welf began telling them what had happened to them after both Asuka and Mikoto joined them. He left out some pieces, but after Chigusa awoke she filled them in. "What Welf told you is the truth, however, he kept Sly's nature out of it."

With all the talk of spirits, Ouka already had a feeling where this was going. He spent long enough in the East with Take to know his way around spirits. 'So, he actually told them what a kitsune is? Though I wonder how he came to be one.'

Welf shot her a panicked look. "Are you sure Sly would want this?"

Chigusa gave Welf a tight smile. "No, he'll be quite angry with me, but with this development they need to know."

Mikoto remained quiet, standing vigilantly next to Sly and observing as Asuka fed him a mana potion to aid his recovery. "What has our foolish mage done this time?"

Chigusa sat next to the kitsune and lifted both of Sly's tails up. "Nothing, Mikoto. The change happened back when he got his second tail. He became a half-spirit. A kitsune to be exact."

Ouka's eyes widened. 'So that's what happened! To think the stray we picked up because Take was sought out by a spirit was one himself. I really need to treat him better; even half-assed spirits are a menace. Good thing I already let him take the position of dungeon tactician.'

Asuka eyes light up. "I knew it."

Mikoto took it the worst. She took a step back in shock. Her stance rigid. "How can he be a spirit?! Where is the adherence to laws, the honor… the respect! He must be lying."

Ouka sternly retorted. "Mikoto! Different spirits are bound by different laws. Kitsune are pranksters and magicians by nature. What is considered honor to them, would be the opposite for you. Get a grip on yourself! If a malicious spirit appeared in Orario we have greater issues."

Mikoto looked at him shocked, and even Welf and Chigusa gawked as Ouka stood. "Mikoto, watch over the Dojo. I will meet up with Take. I left when Ganesha and Shakti-san headed for Babel, Take must have gone there too."

Ouka grabbed his shield, spear and greataxe and left the Dojo. 'I need a better one soon. Mikoto and Sly have good new weapons. Perhaps Welf can find the time for this old dwarf too?'

Ouka met Take outside the amphitheater as he and a beautiful goddess split up. His stance was hard and Futsu-no-Mitami was sheathed at his side. Take's steps were barely controlled as he walked to his captain without breaking the stone road. Ouka saw all this and asked. "Didn't go well by the looks of it?"

Take stepped in front of Ouka and motioned forward with his head as he took point towards home. "No, they ignored my warning and Apollo pushed for a war game against us."

Ouka looked perplexed. "But why?! I knew Sly was watching them, but they have no cause!"

Take shakes his head. "It happened to Sly's party. Apollo's lapdog, Hyakinthos, attacked them when you lost to the infant dragon. They tried getting their hands on Chigusa, and since then Sly kept his eyes on them."

Ouka's face curled into a scowl as an audible cracking noise echoed from the grip on his greataxe tightened. "They did what!? Why haven't we retaliated!?"

"You were injured, and after the incident Apollo kept quiet. However, it seems he hasn't let go of this grudge. Gather the others at the dojo. I'll be waiting." With those words they returned home. Ouka assembled the familia from the manor into the dojo.

Here, in the small dojo next to the manor of Takemikazuchi familia, they were assembled. Ouka was kneeling beside Mikoto and Asuka, on one side while Welf was sitting cross-legged and Chigusa kneeling on the other, both with a tail over their shoulder, to keep an unsteady Sly between them as he barely managed to sit down with a killer headache, no doubt due to mana depletion and damage done by the infection of malicious mana.

Take is standing with his back to them in front of a wall. On the wall Futsu-no-Mitami rests on display, the only evidence of its use being a hole in one of the shoji where the sword had raced out to their deity. After a minute of silence the god of war turns to them; the candles in the dojo are flickering and his eyes are cold.

"Listen closely, my children."

Take told what happened in the Denatus and Sly's previous clashes with Hyakinthos. To say Ouka was seething would be an understatement. 'No matter the region, there is conflict…Even for the pettiest of reasons.' Take's words refocused him.

"To think a god here would have the gall to drag us into a war game. Mikoto, Asuka. You remember the Far East. We need to prepare. The odds are stacked against us, but our opponents are underestimating us."

Take continued. "Asuka, prepare potions for the wargame. Crowd control, monster repellants, monster attractants, poison, and enhancement. We need all of it."

Take shifts his gaze from Asuka to Chigusa. "Both your stats are close to the limit for level 1 and both of you have already accomplished a feat. We shall increase your level before the wargame. Until then you and Sly shall attend the Rune Magic lessons and get your magic combat ready."

Turning to Mikoto Take hesitated for a moment, then added. "Continue as you have been Mikoto. I will teach you a new technique in the next few days."

Finally, his gaze rested on him. "Ouka, increase the daily training regime, but adapt it to the schedule Sly and Chigusa will have. Also, continue your lessons with Bedrin. He should know more about war games in Orario. Learn what you can about them, and we shall use it to find the perfect strategy."

A grin stretched across his bearded face. 'Finally, something I can shine in! Orario was boring, though getting a spell was interesting, but fighting in the dungeon got exhausting after the first few times. Let Sly worry about the dungeon, while me and Take figure out how to deal with this familia!'

The last person Take's gaze settled on was Welf. "Welf-san. I can't ask anything of you as you aren't a member of my familia, but I'd ask for your aid in equipping my familia in the month they have before the war game."

Welf returned the serious gaze and held Sly's tail on his shoulder a little tighter. "No worries here Take. I will help anyway I can. After what we've gone through and how much you've helped me, I feel like I owe it to ya. Plus, Hyakinthos attacked me too!"

The meeting concluded. The Takemikazuchi Familia would prepare for war.

Sleipnir's Room - Sly POV

A few days had passed since their battle against the spirit. Sly's days were spent doing magic control exercises with Acatl's enchanted blindfold and meditation. They barely escaped the malicious mana, he… they were too close. 'Way too close. If Ottar-san hadn't interfered I might have…'

Spirits weren't the perfect beings he thought them to be. 'They should be bound by spiritual rules! How can a spirit lose itself to corruption like that!? To willingly create more malicious mana! Could it happen to me?!' His hands balled up into fists as a shiver passed down his tails, tingling at the base of his tails for a second before passing through them. The fur on his tails stood erect at the sensation.

Why didn't Acatl warn him of the danger? How there are many malicious spirits! How were they born? He needed answers. 'Answers I will get!' Sly stood up breathing in the clean scent of the magic lavender and vervaine growing in his room.

With a slight push of mana and a golden glass bead hidden in layered semi-permanent illusions appeared on the very top of his bookshelf. With a stretch he took it and focused his mana into the occulus. Activating it took about as much mana as a cantrip; once it was full it glowed a warm yellow. It took a few minutes before he got a reaction. The golden bead rattled and Acatls voice resounded from it. "Nibi-chan, good to hear from you again. Finally decided to give this complex piece of magic a try?" Acatls voice was jovial and he could imagine her exaggerated gestures.

Uncertain how the occulus worked in detail, Sly turned it around, but there was no image anywhere and he couldn't discern from where the voice came. To be safe he bowed. "Acatl-hakase, I need guidance on spirits. Akiri-san, the tier 3 spirit following me is recovering from an encounter we had with a tier 3 malicious spirit."

Acatl's tone shifted into one of annoyance. "Malicious you say? I hear the unsaid questions lingering in your mind my student. Speak them and I shall answer."

Without any hesitation Sly asks the central question. "What is a malicious spirit? What difference is there between spirits and malicious spirits."

With a ruffle of her wings Acatl hums. "Hmm. I already explained spirits, so I'll begin with malicious spirits. First of all, they are always created and never born. Malicious spirits are spirits that have fallen to malicious mana and are essentially beings guided by the very nature of malicious mana. They are there to corrupt, infect, and create more malicious mana which will in turn create more malicious spirits."

Sly interjects. "Then why did the kappa still look like a spirit, and even its territory was impossible to tell apart from a normal spirit's unless one was close to the center?"

"Because it was based on a spirit. Malicious spirits are a subcategory of spirits. They have fallen to corruption and lost themselves to it until even the axioms binding them are no longer recognizable. They are only bound by the self-destructive nature of malicious mana. Malicious spirits are the very antithesis of normal spirits. Instead of upholding the natural balance they seek to undermine and destroy any balance in existence, starting with their own territory."

The young kitsune remains quiet at that one, thinking about it with growing horror. 'Their own territory… Defile their spiritual axioms..? Would that mean a kitsune could corrupt their own family?!'

With a shift he remembers Acatl's previous lesson. Yoko was a kitsune, who lost her entire family and sought revenge against the goddess Keres in retaliation. She annihilated the entire familia and ended her own life once the deed was done. She purged herself with her foxfire, as she would have turned into a malicious spirit if she went any further!

Before Acatl could continue a call came from her side by a vibrant female voice. "Acatl, Dryas is at it again! Look at his experiment before he creates another carnivorous forest! The last one is still expanding!"

A loud sigh comes from Acatl. "I'll be right on it, Barachiel-chan I have Sly on the occulus!"

The voice got closer. "Your fourth apprentice?"

Acatl's voice is muffled, likely not speaking to the occulus. "Disciple but yes. You know the half-spirit. You know what, get to know him and answer his questions about malicious spirits. It's tied to you anyways." The voice gets louder again. "Sly, I'll give you to Barachiel-chan here, she is my vice-captain. I need to deal with my captain."

The occulus shakes a bit and then the previous voice continues. "Good day, Sleipnir. You can call me Barachiel Catol or if you prefer White Mage, or if you must the Celestial. Please not the last one. Acatl gave me that alias to annoy me when I hit level 5! It's just soo haughty!"

Sly was feeling quite awkward at the sudden change. "Okay, Barachiel-san… Are you knowledgeable on spirits?"

The female retorts indignant. "Of course! I am the highest authority on spirits in the Quetzalcoatl familia! Now, then what was the question?"

With a deep breath, Sly returned to the subject. "We were just getting to malicious spirits and how one could be formed."

Barachiel spoke with pure venom in her voice. "Malicious spirits can only be born due to the actions of mortals or the state of their environment. If the axioms they protect are repeatedly broken or subverted… it changes them. If it doesn't stop it will eventually birth a malicious spirit. What brought this question on? Spirits usually avoid this subject as it's considered taboo."

Sly takes up her thread. "A few days ago, I participated in the battle against a malicious spirit. I only fought in the first layer, but it terrified me. It even corrupted the majority of my mana. A friend described the Second Layer to me and what happened in the battle. I just want to understand how it was created."

"Poor thing! I hope you manage to recover. Is there anything abnormal to its territory, or did it say something?" Barachiel asks in a much softer voice.

"I don't think it spoke… Wait the chant! Give me a second." With care he placed the occulus on his bed and took out his Archive, opening the page about malicious spirits he began. "Not, here. No… and there it is! Its chant was, 'I am the River! Accursed land-dwellers polluting my essence, your feigned ignorance brings more blood into my veins! Sacrifice so that my kingdom may rise! - Water Kingdom!'"

He hears a faint flutter of wings on the other side before Barachiel answers a few seconds later. "That's very bad. It seems this spirit wasn't malicious at first, but a mortal, or even a god had a hand in this event. Somebody sacrificed people to taint the kappa, and from the phrasing, it grew in power with the sacrifices. Whoever did this, did it a lot and hid their actions well."

The scribbles of paper came from the other side. "Sleipnir, I noted down these events and the School District will look into it, I have enough sway over them. Until then please get into contact with another member our familia. He should be staying in Melen right now. His name is Myles Runa, I will contact him. He can make you a magic item for better resistance against malicious mana."

Sly stops his scribbling. "Wait, is he the teacher Acatl sent for me? Why is he here already?"

Barachiel pauses for a moment. "He's on, let's say, forced vacation. When you tell him of your situation he'll help you. Either way, please keep your distance from the river and be careful if you're alone. Few should know about your status as a half-spirit, but should certain factions find out there is a good chance something similar could happen to you. Do you have any more questions?"

With a trembling voice, Sly asked. "Is there a way to resist corrupted mana and its mental effects? I was incapacitated by a malicious spell and later lost control due to the corruption of my mana."

Barachiel stays quiet, for almost a minute. "I shall answer, but please do not abuse this knowledge. The only reason I am telling you this is because you are another direct disciple of Acatl and a half-spirit. Corrupted mana can be subverted with runic spells, which reduce emotions. However, they are too complex for a young mage like you. There is also the option of development abilities. However, getting one takes a lot of effort and a lot of exposure to corruption, something that shouldn't be rushed."

Sly's tails could only sway in contemplation. 'Exposure... Again, like with stats. I get the feeling the falna punishes skill and promotes brute force. Or it could very well be the construct of a particularly sadistic deity.'

"The last option is to guide the corruption with emotions, a highly unstable and dangerous path. Unlike the other options this one requires no preparation but requires that a spirit is honest with themselves about their demons and ready to accept them to achieve what they desire. At most a spirit can follow an oath or spiritual axiom with this path, any plans or complex thoughts are bound to fail."

This swath of information is now inscribed in Sly's archive. All these notes are written in eastern as Sly puts down the quill he'd used. "Thank you for your help, Barachiel-hakase. I see why Acatl chose you for this subject. I will take great care not to be corrupted again, but if it does happen this lesson will hopefully give me the advantage I need to not succumb to it."

The almost angelic voice of Barachiel soothes his worries. "If you are careful, you can avoid corruption altogether if they are of a lower tier, against those of the same tier it will come down to mana control, only those of a higher tier must be avoided at all costs. Now seek out Myles, he'll help you."

Layer 2 - Akiri POV

A three-tailed spirit fox is sitting in a clearing surrounded by spirit trees and the weak presence of tier 1 spirits. His black tails are matted with faint purple lines, which pulse with his every breath. His uninfected mana is moving slowly and pushing the clumps of malicious mana out of his tails which represent his entire mana capacity.

Every millimeter hurt as if he was ripping mana from his body, but he is in a deep enough trance to not even register it from a good deal of practice and experience. Every bit that is pulled out of his tails is caught by his blood vessels, which is overwhelmed by a mix of his own mana and an insignificant portion of malicious mana, before it was carried onto his lungs and breathed out in a faint purple mist.

Akiri had entered this trance 5 days ago and even with all his effort only 1 percent of his mana has been purged while 29 % remains infected. Right as the clearing shuddered a voice entered his ears. 'Akiri-san, please return, it isn't the same without you in the dojo. I'd be reassured by your presence for our lessons.'

With a sigh, he returned to his senses, stretched his body, and growled in annoyance. 'I need to return soon. Shin has called every day since I left. Unbelievable, no day passes without at least 3 summons from him. Seclusion seems impossible at this rate and Take has kept his door open for me. Is this what Sadao foresaw when he made me make that promise? To think I'd have somebody I can call family after you… Believe me, I will look after the kit like he is my own; he hasn't pushed me away even after breaking his trust. I will make it up to you two, and nothing will stop me this time!'

He couldn't help but remember his life back then, oh it was so easy when Kusano-hime sent him to accompany Shimizu Sadao. It must have been 20 years ago, what he didn't expect was for him to see him.

20 years earlier - Far East - Akiri POV

Akiri rushed after the new level 1 adventurer who just joined the Kusano familia, another renard from the looks of it. 'To think I'd have to look after another beginner. Better make sure he doesn't get surrounded on his first day. He has to protect one of our outskirt villages from goblins.'

He caught up silently and observed the child he had to babysit today. Shimizu Sadao is a lithely built renard. He has black fur, piercing yellow eyes, and a single swaying tail. His ears have the only difference with a stark white on the inside, like his own. His clothing was second-hand and stitched together in many places. Akiri was stunned at the visual resemblance, he even had a scent that closely resembled his.

'That explains why I got this mission. But what's the background of this kit?' Akiri circled around Sadao to get a better view of him.

Unexpectedly, Sadao's eyes found his as soon as he stepped in front of him. He showed no trace of fear and bowed. "Greetings Spirit-san, why are you following me on this good day?"

'You can see me? How come one such as you doesn't have countless spirits following you?' Akiri asked in shock. He had lived for centuries, and the number of mortals capable of seeing spirits he met numbered to a total of two. Well, three now.

Sadao left his bow and smiled at him. "Indeed, I can. Thank you for your concern, Spirit-san. The spirits are kind, but rarely accompany me."

Akiri smiled, excited at the prospect of such an interesting child. 'Fascinating, Kusano-sama asked me to look after you for your first mission, so I'll observe how you do and take action should you get into an unfavourable situation.'

Sadao's eyes shone with delight. "Then I'll gladly accept Senior and his trio, together we'll already have a quartet." His single tail swished rapidly behind him mirroring Akiri's tails.

'We'll get along just fine young Shimizu.'

Layer 2 - Akiri POV

'One mission quickly became 2, from two to four and suddenly we were a team. Then after seeing my illusions for the first time, Sadao instantly fell in love with them.'

Sadao had a talent for magic like every renard, however, his magic hadn't revealed itself in his falna. This was a huge blow to his self-esteem, but it couldn't keep him down for long. So, I showed him how to improve his mana control and use his illusion affinity to find his own magic.

He took to it like a fish to water and before Akiri realized it Sadao purposefully skipped status updates to reconstruct his illusio and make it a spell of his own. Sadao spent entire nights mulling over his chant and redefining it to suit him. The most help he sought was asking the fellow mages of the familia for their opinion.

Many told him it would be impossible, but Sadao didn't give up, he was certain he could recreate it, and make Genkai as he dreamed of and finally resolve the conflicts in the East. If only his illusion grew convincing enough, it might convince people to change their ways.

In the end he succeeded. His falna accepted his efforts, and will to change the world by showing it a better path. Sadao couldn't stop his cheering back then, attracting every available adventurer in their home. To show them his new spell, oh how Akiri beamed at him before chanting it to the entire familia in his melodious voice. "Hiding prophet, oh cunning goddess, artistic light, melodious clang, sweet jasmine, guiding touch, delightful honey, by the screaming masses, I am the hand of change, I implore the judgement of reality - Illusio!"

The illusion spanned all of 10 meters, it showed the Far East finally at peace, conflict no longer existed, but alas it couldn't last. Only seconds after the spell revealed itself Sadao had used his entire mana capacity. He fell unconscious for multiple days, causing their goddess Kasuno great distress. Despite that, he recovered from mind zero after two weeks with a large smile. His words once he awoke were painfully optimistic. "It was worth it. I did it once, and I'll do it again until there is true peace."

Which infuriated their goddess so much that Kusano used the first chance she had to throw the two of them out of the Far East and on their way to Orario. There Sadao joined the Demeter familia to gather experience. Then they left 7 years later once Sadao got the alias Peniless Sage, barely missing the fall of the 2 strongest familia.

Back in the Far East, they helped the familia expand after Sadao got promoted to an executive. They travelled far and often, always helping those in need. After many years they finally took in little Shin.

1.5 years ago - Unknown Forest - Akiri POV

Akiri was walking a few steps ahead of his two companions. The older lithe renards tail swayed gently and occasionally brushed against their last companion.

The last companion was another renard. A clan orphan, as was common in the conflict-torn East. What was less so was the clan he came from, an old and high-ranking one in the Arashi Faction. They were as vengeful as they came and still wanted him for his magic and all the worse for him since his escape which was a stain on their meticulously crafted reputation.

The young renard occasionally mimicked the gait of his elder, this kit has very light blue fur, sometimes appearing silver in the right light. He is 14 and has been travelling with Sadao for close to two years. The kit is called Shin or, if they were among other people, Sleipnir. His family name is better left unspoken on their last day together.

Akiri observed the two with visible sadness. Him and Sadao had known for a few weeks that a Civil War was approaching the Kusano familia. They had risen too quickly and were a thorn in the eyes of the Sobek familia. Sadao was hit the hardest, he had done his utmost to prevent this civil war and help the East transform with his illusions, but all it did was paint a target on his back. Sadao could only lament to Akiri in silent telepathy. A trick he picked up during their stay in Orario.

'Why didn't I invite Shin to our familia earlier? He replicated my feat of learning a spell on his own! If only he was an adventurer, we could have taken him with us…' He then sighs. 'No, it wouldn't have gone well. If I were to introduce him his clan would have found him again, which would have attracted further attention from the Arashi Faction… Then the war would have happened even earlier!'

Akiri replied. 'Do not blame yourself for things beyond your control Sadao. You can't take everything upon yourself, otherwise you'll spread yourself too thin and be of no help to Kusano-hime. Besides the kit was bound to learn magic. His magic talent is ridiculous. He instinctively grasped the flow of our illusions, after he heard your story of creating your own version of illusio.'

Sadao smiled dotingly at the smaller renard, who kept pace with him. 'Yes, Shin put his heart and soul into it. He made your spell his own. To think I was still surprised after he showed the fire of a kogistune.'

Akiri had to shake his head again. 'Certainly explains his tenacity and capacity to cause chaos. A real wonder our illusions were enough to get him out of all the trouble he caused for the nobles. It didn't matter if they were from our territory or otherwise.'

Shin decided to stop their musings with a quick question. "Which nobles are we gonna prank today Sadao-nii?"

A small smile grows at Shin's antics and Sadao answers. "Unfortunately, today we won't be pranking any nobles from the Arashi Faction."

Sly pouts and his tail swishes in agitation. "But you just showed me how to hide scents with our illusion! Together, we could weave an illusion that covers 4 senses, and I don't think taste matters when we take what the nobles steal from the poor civilians!"

Sadao counters lightly. "Aren't you forgetting that you are a civilian as well, Shin-chan?"

Shin whines, "Civilians don't have magic, and stop calling me 'chan', already!"

Sadao laughs at his rebuke. Before turning to him and getting serious. "No, Shin that they don't. But it doesn't change the fact that you are one. Which will remain the case until you join a familia…"

Shin argues. "I don't want to join a familia! With my name, my clan would find me again and you know they wouldn't stop hunting me!"

Sadao sights. "Shin, we've had this conversation before. You'll need to join a familia sooner or later, I can't keep looking after you forever, and unfortunately, the time I dreaded has come."

Shifting his weight uneasily, Akiri like a shadow behind, Shin asks. "You aren't saying..?"

Nodding grimly, Sadao responds. "Yes, Shin-chan. You can't follow me anymore. Kusano-hime has called for my return. I tried my best, but even with all the damage we did the civil war is still going to happen." 'Curse the Sobek familia, why are they the ones targeting us? They are one of the big three deities from the Arashi Faction. But I can't tell Shin that or he'll try following me!' Sadao ranted telepathically to Akiri.

With a whine Akiri agreed, not that they could hear him from the second layer. His position closely tied around the place Shin would stand on in the first layer.

Shin watches Sadao frozen in shock. Sadao continues, "A civilian like you has no place in a war between adventurers little Shin."

Shin is holding onto Sadao's robe in desperation. "But I can use illusions too! I can help you, please do not leave me alone again!"

Sadao corrects in his patient tone, but behind his strong face, he is deeply saddened. "Our illusio is potent, but it scales to our own perception. The perception of adventurers is related to their best stats, if even 1 surpasses my strongest stat they can discern my illusion, not to mention that any mage with a good magic sense can pick up on it as well."

Sadao shakes his head but uses the motion to quickly activate one of his skills. Hiding how his eyes land on Akiri. 'Akiri-san, can you please look after Shin for me? Protect him from his horrible clan, they mustn't get his magic. I taught him enough to survive, but until he finds a familia to take him in, his own illusions might not suffice to keep him out of trouble and hidden from adventurers.'

He heard the hidden message but still nodded with a heavy heart. 'I shall, good friend. Do you have any message for me to convey once the kit is older?'

Sadao smiles in remorse and explains. 'Shin is still young, but already so cautious. I know he can make it far. Please remind him, he might detest the nobles of the Far East, but if he ever has the chance… Remind him of my dream. As for you my friend, once you get the chance, guide him. Guide him like you guided me. He'll need all the friends he can get.'

Subsequently, Sadao returns his attention to Shin. Sadao bends down to his knees and hugs Shin as he cries. "Please! If you leave my clan will find me again! They killed my parents in front of me to get my magic, and illusions won't matter against them!"

Sadao smiles gently at him. "Good thing you have your foxfire then, but do not fret. I shall place a long-lasting illusion over you, with my level 3 status it should allow you to blend in if you change it with your own illusion. Just don't overexert yourself Shin, you are nowhere close to casting an illusion on 5 senses like the one I'm gonna cast on you."

While speaking he waves the last two of his fingers at Akiri. "Hiding prophet, oh cunning goddess 'kitsune', artistic light, melodious clang, sweet jasmine, 'benign caress, sweetest nectar,' by the screaming masses, 'as thou holy messenger,' I am the hand of change, I implore 'affect' the judgement of reality - Illusio!"

Shin nods at the reassurance and tries drying the tears with his sleeves to watch as his mentor leaves. Akiri can only watch with a heavy heart as Sadao prepares to leave.

"A last thing Shin." Sadao stands back up and tells him. "You were a good kid and a great student. It has been a wonderful time. As your guardian, there is one more thing that needs doing…"

Sadao changes the illusion around Sly his fur as black as his own. "Without a name nor protection, it will be difficult to get by in the East. We have used your real name too much already. From today onwards the Far East shall know you as Shimizu Sleipnir!"

Sly looks at him in a conflicted expression, between tears and a smile, which strains at the family name. Sadao elaborates, "My family name is Eastern as well, so I understand if you don't want to use it Shin. Or should I call you Sleipnir? But know that you are invited into my small family. I will try to return to you once my familia gets through this war, but I do not know when that will be." 'Or if it will happen!' "Please take care Sleipnir and find a good familia. There are some gods out there that won't betray your trust, you only need to open up to them."

With another chant of Illusio Sadao disappears from the newly named Sleipnir's senses while Akiri clearly saw him leave, turn around once and nod in his direction, and speed away. As Sleipnir crumbled to the ground and cried out a last message to his sensei. "I will do my best Sensei! I will not let you down! Once I've found a god, I will grow stronger and master my magic until you return!"

With these words, rain slowly sets in, which forces Sleipnir to seek shelter in a nearby farming village. Akiri a constant shadow just beyond Sleipnir's senses.

Meanwhile, Sadao hurries along towards his familia home. He had been leading them deeper into the territory controlled by Amaterasu for the last month in anticipation of this moment.

The mentor and apprentice parted and their reunion would be nothing that either of them expected...

Present - Akiri POV

'What would you think of me now Sadao, reminiscing about the past… I abused Shin's trust, but he clings to me still. I came so close to breaking my oath to you, all the more reason to stop ignoring my own feelings. He is as much my kit as he was yours. I tried acting aloof, but you see how that turned out. Whenever he needs me, I'll be there for him as I have been for years. At least he grew out of his phase of incessant pranking.'

Akiri feels lighter at the thought, even laughing a little at the thought of how Sadao would have resolved that conflict. 'He would never have even started fighting, he'd have saved the orphan, appeased Take, and finally found a way to help the Kappa. It might have gone awry, but he'd have tried at the very least.'

2 days before the lessons begin - On the way to Melen - Sleipnir POV

A fashionably adorned, green-robed elf left through Orario's western gate. A small illusion over his form and the Ganesha guard didn't even look at it twice before letting him out.

"They really need to find some countermeasure against spells at the gates. If I can sneak out that easily, there is no telling what can be snuck in and out of Orario. What is your take on this Sylphie?"

The stomach of the fairy riding on Genno's shoulder growled. "Don't care. Evilus got in before they could get in now. Let's just get something to eat! It's already lunchtime!"

"You can find something once we are in Melen. We will split up and see who can find Myles first, remember he is a half-dark elf." Sly with his illusion of Genno the elf answered.

Melen itself is a big fishing trade hub. Most of Orario's overseas trade goes through this port. It has around 1'000 buildings, and many stone warehouses close to the 7 docks, where countless wooden ships with reinforced hulls of the Njord familia rest, till their next voyage to transfer magic stone-powered items to the world.

What stood out was a single much larger ship, docked further off the shore. Its hull was a cobweb of criss-crossing monster hides, sewn together with thick ropes, beneath which wooden beams peeked. A giant set of monster tusks set in front of the ship, if for monsters or other ships uncertain. The ship had 4 masts with sails made from a singular type of monster hide folded together against big tree trunks.

As Sly got close to the city, he passed a 5m high stone wall placed to guard against wild monsters on the surface. Entry was as easy as it was to get out of Orario. The guards didn't even take a second glance after he paid a small fee of valis. 'Really, gathering intelligence is almost too easy with illusions. No wonder Sadao always travelled.'

Sylphie split up with him to search from the second layer, and likely prank the citizens of Melen, while he asked about a half-dark elf, which proved easier than Sly anticipated. The third person had already heard about somebody helping out at the docks who fit the description Barachiel gave him.

At lunchtime Sly visited two local taverns and asked the barkeeps if they had seen a half-dark elf by the name of Myles. A handful of valis later he was given a lead. In the third tavern, the barkeep pointed at a customer at one of the tables. The man wore a simple shirt and pants akin to a hunter. His skin color was dark olive skin, with his silver hair in stark contrast as he was mulling over a small stack of papers while eating his lunch.

"Thank you, barkeep-san." Wasting no time, Sly walked over to Myles and greeted him. "Runa-san, may I sit and take a moment of your time?"

The elf looks up from his papers with a raised eyebrow. "Well then. Very few know my family name. How about we start with your own name, and we can go from there yeah?"

With a small bow and a shift in his illusion Sly bowed to him, letting his two tails peek out just below his robes in sight of Myles, while hiding their conversation. "Oh, how rude of me. My current guise is called Genno, and my real name would be Sleipnir of the Takemkazuchi familia. Although you should know me as Acatl's newest apprentice. I hope you are not offended by my use of an illusion. I'd rather not be seen."

With a gesture Myles invites him to sit. "Ah, I see. Did Acatl send you here? I was supposed to start teaching you when the School District arrived."

Sly sighs heavily. "Barachiel-san sent me to you. You know, finding a half-dark elf isn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. You must have seen the six columns of light a few days ago, right?"

Myles eyes widen, but he remains focused on the individual before him. "Yes, from what the Guild gathered Takemikazuchi and Freya dealt with a spirit. Why did you speak with Barachiel?

Ordering a tea for himself Sly waits until the waiter leaves before answering. "I participated in that battle. A lot of my mana was corrupted and in search of answers I used the occulus Acatl left me to find a solution. Barachiel-san took over the call and recommended asking you for a magic item."

Myles clicks his tongue at that information. "Typical Acatl! Always being lazy and pawning off work on others… Did she even give a reason why Barachiel took over?"

Sly tilts his head looking up a bit as he recalled, "Eh… Barachiel said something about tending to experiments with a carnivorous forest I think?"

Myles blinks and then a blank expression rests on his face. "Ahh…. Dryas… yeah that's a good reason… Ok, ok I see now."

With a slight sigh the half-dark elf sets down his meal and turns to look at Sly fully. "If she sent you to me this must be serious… It can't be helped. I'll make you something. Malicious mana isn't normally easy to deal with."

Myles then starts to almost count on his fingers as he murmurs to himself. "The Middle Floors don't have drop items with enough mana for this… Perhaps a Crystal Turtle and Light Quartz could barely be enough…" Then Myles's brow furrows as he looks back to Sly. "Wait… Adventurers can usually get rid of malicious mana with expenditure, why can't you?"

Sly's ears curl back a bit now as he looks down and to the side some. "Uhhh…. Yeah, I'm a half-spirit Kitsune…"

Myles blinks at this. "Huh… That's very rare…" Then the kitsune sees Myles start to draw runes on a white, transparent mana circle. 'Quiet noisy world and beyond. Latebras Silentii' "Fuin!"

Immediately the sounds about them are muted. Sly could only blink seeing the runes. 'Wait… So, I was right about a possible chant for sound magic?!'

Myles nods a bit as the spell takes effect. "Right. No sound goes in or out of an invisible barrier about us now. You can speak freely."

Sly couldn't help himself and asks, "Wait, that chant! It's the same as one I used to trick someone while they were in my illusory domain! I have been studying the Silence's magic under Acatl's tutelage from time to time; does that mean I was on the right track to replicate Silentium Eden?! Oh, also my illusions already suppress sound, but thank you."

Myles could only blink at this. 'So… I guess my only question is if this was before or after Acatl updated me…' "Hmmm, possibly… The problem is that chant will definitely be too short to replicate the power of Silence's sound armor. It's a good starting point though. Ah, but we need to get back on topic.

I can make you one of two items to deal with your situation. One can serve as a suit of armor to prevent malicious mana from infecting you in the first place while the other will serve as an antidote to help you get over corruption far easier than you could on your own. The main catch with the 'suit of armor' is that it would deny you excelia for your falna to develop a resistance on its own through a development ability or a skill. So, which do you want?"

Sly blinks at the information. 'Ok… I would like both, but I understand the argument against malicious mana protection. Ahh… Fine, purification it is.' "The item that serves as an antidote please Runa-san."

Myles's brow twitches at the formality. "Right, okay. No last name formalities please. Just Myles is fine. To elaborate on the item, it cycles malicious and corrupted mana out of your system automatically like a spirit normally would, no control needed. It wouldn't be an instant cure solution, but it definitely will help with recovery from malicious mana infection. Also, this item will have limited power as it will be made from materials, at the deepest, from the bowels of the Water City. In the future I could make a stronger item."

Sly smiles as his tails sway slightly under his cloak. "Excellent! Thank you, Myles-san!"

Myles just levels a blank stare at him. "Still 'san' huh? You don't need to do that with me, Sleipnir. Myles is fine. Enough of that though, what about the talk I heard about a war game?"

Sly's eyebrows furrow at the new topic. "You've already heard of it? Apollo really wants to make a spectacle out of it. We are preparing for it. My younger sister and I will come to your rune magic and hieroglyph lessons to improve our rune magic. We both plan to have them combat ready once your lessons are over."

Myles nods but gives him one of the Guild folders he'd been reading. "Good, good, but do you think you can win? Apollo might not be the most threatening god with his theatrics, but his familia is nothing to scoff at."

On the page was the familia layout of the Apollo familia. The Apollo familia was ranked E, which corresponded to 12 level 2's and 1 newly promoted level 3 captain. 'Oh, that's more than I expected. I haven't spied on them in a while, but when did they advance more level 2s? And Lydia even hit level 3!? This must be the real reason Apollo waited.'

Myles gave him a moment to scan over the page before he continued. "The numbers and statuses are stacked against you. It will take a lot of effort to turn this around. Sleipnir, what are your primary affinities?"

Sly went over all the names and answered. "I have a strong illusion affinity, and a minor fire affinity. There is also one Acatl wasn't sure about. I am working on my illusion control, but it's difficult to make progress."

Myles nods to himself. "It's great that you have illusion as your primary attribute, but you need to build on your fundamentals. That's what the main 8 are: fundamentals. I can show you some difficult exercises for light, dark and fire attributes to get you started. After all, illusion is a combination of the light and dark attributes."

Sly adds, "Yeah, I think I got fire down. Acatl taught me that one already and I have a skill which boosts my control."

Myles nods with a hum, going with the flow. "Good, you'll have to show me later. However, for the other two exercises you'll need to buy the weakest magic stone lamp you can find. I'll show you how to keep it alight with your mana alone to practice light. For darkness try and dim the magic lantern by extending the shadows around it with your mana. Darkness mana can saturate shadows and make them more resilient. If you get far enough, they might even turn solid. Darkness is trickier, but with a strong illusion affinity you should manage."

A large smile graces Sly's face. "Thank you, Myles! I can't wait to see how even more control over my mana attributes will improve my illusions."

For the remainder of the meal, they discuss magic theory before paying. As they stand up and Myles collects his files, he adds. "If you want, you can accompany me to Orario. I'll show you how the control exercises work."

Without pause Sly answers. "Thank you for the offer, Myles. I'll gladly accompany you… Oh, I also was curious about one other thing! Could you tell me about it on the way?"

Author's Note

I'll hold back with spirit stuff for the rest of the act, and return the focus on rune magic and the wargame preparations.