Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter's Hero Dream

Corner of the Empire. Noto Coclair was scratching his head in one of the safe houses that existed in the depressed city area.

A few days after being exposed to the research facility and suffering an overwhelming defeat by a thousand changes, there is no sign that the boiling anger held will fade slightly.

"The Tower of Akasha" is the infamous Sorcery Order. The means taken by that organization to explore the truth diverge greatly from general ethics.

I understand there are many enemies. If it was a bunch of hunters and the Knights of the Empire who attacked the Notos, even if they were captured, Notos would never have been so annoyed.

But that wasn't even a fight.

Close your eyes and the sight will come back clear.

The man's eyes, called Thousands of Changes, did not see the Notos as enemies. Even mauled the Notos with the absurd word 'Sandrabit researcher' and so on.

The words are intolerable to Noto, who has never looked down on others before.

The disciples look at the noto, who cannot hide his frustration, with an uneasy look.

Many times before, the Magic Instructors had been frightened of just one hunter for ignoring ethical research.

The attacking magic of a confident hunter who was deactivated and didn't even have a wand was knocked down with a single blow. There is no reason to be anxious.

A Magic Master is highly resistant to attack magic. Because the powerful magic that is hidden in you becomes a strong resistance to attack magic. If you are the Magic Supervisor of the "Tower of Akasha," your resistance reaches such a point that most magic will not scratch you.

That, while the unchanging art was unchanging, was powerful enough to subdue all but Noto's disciples in one blow.

If the Notos hadn't been magicians, they would have crushed to death with that blow.

No information has ever been found anywhere that Thousands of Changes is the Magic Instructor. There is no denying that there was alarm. But even considering that, it was clear that the magic of the man was more powerful than the magic of the magician of Akasha.

"Shouldn't we get out of the capital?

"You... are telling me to wrap my tail around this and run away!?

"Yes, no, but-"

Drink a disciple who vomits weak words.

You can't run away. Even if you can't win, you have to pay off with one arrow. It was never hidden to be quiet for a few days either.

Noto is a magician. I'm not going to tell you how proud I am to fight till I die. But if we escape now, it's too miserable.

Research is going well.

The presence has been found out on the imperial side, but lurking is perfect. Akasha is a big organization. There are collaborators in the upper echelons of the empire.

Thousands of changes - you know, if there wasn't even a man who suddenly attacked the Notos like a disaster, there'd still be winning eyes.

No... even if you leave the country, you can't leave things like this.

"Something, there must be teasing...... Sophia will be back soon"

The most disciples on vacation were allowed to have precious symphonic stones for emergencies.

Even though excellence, asking for help from his disciples was an obstacle to Noto's pride, but it is a crisis of research survival, which is inevitable.

I don't know where he is right now, but he's getting a response when he gets back soon.

The research facility outside has been crushed, but that's not all the power the Notos hold. If Sophia returns, we'll have enough power.

"But no matter how much Sofia-"

"Shit. I should think about it now... right -"

Once he took a deep breath, Noto looked around at the faces of the disciples gathered in the room.

Thousands of changes missed all the notos, so no one is missing. Wounds from gravitational magic (pressure) have also fully recovered with allowances over the past few days.

It's a pleasure for the Notos, but that's why the big question remains.

What's the purpose of all this change?

If we stop the research, it's impossible to miss the notos at that time.

Some members work in Imperial Capital, but those who were there are at the core of Noto's research. If everyone had been captured, the study, which was nearing completion, would have been frustrating.

The fact that you deliberately showed your face in front of the notos must have some purpose. It would not be an insult. I don't think a hunter certified to level 8 would do such a waste.

To warn you and kick you out of the capital? But that's no reason not to catch him.

Or - are you aiming for the collapse of the entire Akasha tower, not just Noto?

Noto smiled at the thought that came to mind.

The Akasha Tower is a giant organization. The constituents are spread all over the world. He is only one constituent with his famous noto in the imperial Zebuldia. I'm not the kind of person that can handle a single hunter, and I don't know the whole story with Noto.

If Noto and the others were captured, their hands would never reach out to those who are conducting other studies.

"... well. What we need to do now is take out the internal pus,"

"!? That's -"

To his defiant disciples, Noto turned his dark, cloudy eyes.

"Unfortunately... there seems to be a traitor in here"

"Huh!?

Foreseen in its eyes, reminiscent of the abyss, the disciples breathe.

Noto stood up and slowly approached the side of the disciples on the spot.

They are all excellent magicians who have carried out research together. Ambitious but more knowledgeable than that, I wouldn't have thought of betrayal or anything without the opportunity like Noto and Jeez.

"I ask you once - did any of this leak information to anyone?

"No - it can't be. We are a Lotus Student! Master..."

A man of the second disciple disputes Noto's words.

That's what Noto thought. The research that Noto and the others were doing is unacceptable in any country. And everyone here is big and small and their hands are dirty. He wouldn't divulge information to the outside world if he wasn't a suicide volunteer either.

But the information is leaking as a reality.

"The location of the lab was leaking. The resulting experimental body was also torn. There's been a change in the store upstairs today. No matter how strong he is, he's not human. I just think there's an informant inside."

The disciples silence themselves in the words that were put forth calmly.

Akasha's cover is perfect. It has been here for nearly a decade now, without anyone blaming it on me.

I don't think it's that easy to find any level 8 hunter.

Most importantly, this is what Thousands of Changes said when asked why they knew the name of the Golem.

- A friend told me.

"In this - it looks like we have a 'friend' of a thousand changes..."

"Huh..."

Think of it, the magic used by Thousands of Changes at that time was gravitational magic with low ability to kill, probably to avoid killing insiders.

The suspect is everyone but himself on this scene.

There are more people who know the name of the strategic golem Akasha, but only a few who knew that it had transformed the laboratory near the Arain Cylinder Ruins Group.

Is it fortunate that Sophia, the most apprentice, is out of the suspect? It is also very painful for Noto to jump through among his disciples and lose his excellent Sofia now.

Noto makes sure to peek in from the bottom to see the expression of each and every disciple.

Nervous. Scared. anger. With the expression of various emotions crossed, the second disciple says.

"But even if there was an insider - the move was steep. The art of informing change…"

"How, etc... it's as much. It's easier than finding that spot on his own without any information."

I know the history of my apprentice. To the best of Noto's knowledge, no one has contact with a thousand changes.

But that doesn't matter anymore. Were you threatened or flattered? I don't care about that again either.

The most important thing is to prevent any further information from being divulged.

Nothing is more lethal to a magician than being exposed in his hand. It would all be in vain if we had a collaborator inside, even if we put up a trap.

Now I wonder if all of the disciples' offensive magic was nullified because they predicted what magic they would shoot ahead of time.

There is hardly a magician skilled in all magic. Even the disciples of Noto have their own magic.

Even if it is difficult to prevent all attacks, there are several ways to prevent attacks by limiting their type. Isn't it possible that he was attacked so defenselessly because he was hitting measures?

"Strike it out here. Kill that man who made fun of me with rabbit researchers and such..."

To the noto I assure you, the disciples tremble their shoulders with Zokri.

A fearful eye. But no one behaves suspiciously like this.

No, I'm not more confident in spotting falsehoods in Noto originally. I've never even had doubts before.

While ascertaining the comfort of his favourite wand, he circles among his disciples, who lurk their breath and wait for words as if they were waiting even at the time of his acquittal.

You couldn't stand the silence, the oldest of the disciples on this occasion, the man of the second disciple, raised his voice.

"So, master. Who are those 'friends'?

"That's abominable... don't you get your tail out, huh? Well..."

My heart was set a long time ago.

Certainly there is no power in Noto to discern falsehood. But if you don't know - all you have to do is get rid of all the suspects.

I am a disciple, but I have no feelings. I also assumed that there would come a time like this more than I was doing this kind of research.

Research will be delayed, but all the results are in Noto's head. Even Sophia. If only we could crush our natural enemies, it wouldn't be hard to get them back.

"... Huh?

The eyes of the man of the second disciple, who was stretching his spine perfectly, are opened wide. That posture collapses and falls to the floor.

No one screamed. Only the sound of bulges and heavy things collapsing away sounds.

Now there are no insiders. The existence of the study was known and most of the disciples were lost. But the battle is not over yet.

When Sophia gets back, we'll start over. Immediately, a thousand changes will also know the death of the collaborators.

It was only then - the last of a thousand changes.

In a room where there was nothing left to move, Noto threw a cold glance at his disciples, who fell and fell without resistance in his magic.

§

Noto raised his face to the small footsteps captured by a stretched intruder alert magic.

congested eyes. It shows the depth of fatigue accumulated by the neighborhood stranded beneath it.

But the tired look was sparkling behind his eyes on his back.

No one knows this stronghold anymore except Noto and the only remaining disciple.

You're back, Sophia.

"Yes... I'm back now... Master"

The door opens. It was a woman in a gray plain robe - Sophia - who came in.

Burning bright red hair is pushed into the hood. The beautifully blue-eyed appearance is a very awesome magician - he doesn't look like a magician working on contraindication research.

I guess I just returned to Imperial City, Sophia's outfit remained in her traveling attire. A large bag is carried on its back.

Sophia. Sophia Black.

The most talented woman among the Wizards that Noto Coclair has taught for a long time.

A woman with heaven who will soon surpass Noto if only she gets older.

Even if you haven't had experience, you can still make a note and show inspiration. A flicker of sorts that will be sealed off, never appreciated by the public.

And The Tower of Akasha will develop its talent to the full.

"Sorry to call you so suddenly, but it's an enemy"

"Master Noto's... as you wish"

For no reason, there is no color to blame for Sophia's expression, even though she was suddenly summoned from vacation.

He looks up at the noto with eyes that remind him of the quiet lake surface and asks briefly.

"And the rest of you?

"... there was an insider. Disposed of. You're not the only one left."

Sophia's eyes open slightly wide.

The upset was momentary. Its cheeks move tingly, telling it to plead in a small voice.

"It's - I don't care if you get a body... May I?

"............... Later. This way first."

They wiped it away right away. That was definitely a laugh.

I was never unfriendly with Sophia and the other disciples. But still - that sentiment, which comes before grief, was not seen by the other disciples for the death of their brothers and disciples who studied together.

Pure intellectual curiosity is sometimes infinitely close to malice. Its sensibility, too far from the rare glimpse of a regular person, was one major reason why Noto Coclair appreciated Sofia.

To the master's words, Sophia lowered her bag to the floor and nodded with respect.

"I understand. Master, can you give us a moment before we talk?

"... why?

It's a matter of contending for a moment. Thousands of changes have yet to come aboard this stronghold, but not always.

Sophia took a small box out of her bag and smiled.

"Master looks a little tired...... I have souvenir chocolate. Let's have a cup of tea."