Koichi, having left the reception room, was guided once more by the Magic Association staff into the conference room. Putting aside the fact that the meeting had yet to begin, Koichi found himself blinking in confusion at the sight before him. Though there were only ten heads of the Master Clans, there were twelve chairs prepared at the table.
Frowning at the discrepancy, Koichi took his seat between Atsuko and Raizo, following the same order as the previous Master Clan Council.
"My apologies for the delay," Koichi said. "It seems the meeting hasn't started yet, but are we still waiting for someone else to join?"
"Yes," Mai Futatsugi replied. "The staff informed us that the meeting is to commence only once 'those individuals' have arrived."
Mai answered Koichi's question, but neither she nor any of the other attendees asked why Koichi had been summoned separately. While some likely speculated it pertained to yesterday's incident, the heavy silence was broken as the doors swung open to admit two figures.
"Apologies for the wait. I see you are all present, members of the new Ten Master Clans."
"Kept you waiting, everyone."
One was a youth dressed in a high-end suit, holding a folding fan in his right hand. The other was a young man, also in a sharp suit. Among the heads of the Ten Master Clans, Gen Mitsuya was the only one who recognized them instantly; his heart surged with a mix of shock and relief.
Others, like Raizo and Mai, looked on in surprise, while Koichi and Goki directed complex, guarded gazes at the newcomers. Maya and Atsuko, conversely, wore expressions of welcome.
These two belonged to the houses that stood above the Master Clan Council—the families tasked with overseeing all magicians and serving as the ultimate protectors of the nation. Their name was Sakimori.
"I am Yugen Kagurazaka, head of the Guardian House of Kagurazaka. While some of you may know me by the names Nagano or Mitsuya, I ask that you maintain a clear professional boundary today."
On one side was the head of an Ancient Magic lineage descended from Kamo no Tadayuki and Abe no Seimei—a house that had preserved Imperial blood by sheltering royals exiled during eras of war. This was Yugen Kagurazaka (formerly Yugen Mitsuya), the 108th head of the family that produced the legendary Chihiro Kagurazaka.
"And I am Mototsugu Kamizaka, head of the Guardian House of Kamizaka. It should go without saying, but neither I nor Lord Kagurazaka—Yugen-dono—are members of the Mitsuya family anymore. I expect you all to recognize that distinction clearly."
On the other side was the head of a house that inherited the name of the Minowa-Nagano clan and refined the swordsmanship and magic of the great Kamiizumi Nobutsuna to establish Shinnai-ryu Kenjutsu. This was Mototsugu Kamizaka (formerly Mototsugu Mitsuya), the 40th head of the family that birthed the hero Gozo Kamizaka.
In previous councils, it was always the predecessors—Chihiro and Gozo—who appeared. This was the first time Yugen and Mototsugu had stood before the council, and the first time in history that both Guardian houses had appeared together. Though Yugen was the youngest person in the room, his status placed him even higher than Katsuto, who was also in his teens.
Mai Futatsugi, the eldest present, was the first to speak.
"Lord Kagurazaka, Lord Kamizaka... am I to understand that you both will be participating in this meeting?"
"Indeed, Lady Futatsugi," Yugen replied. "However, do not forget that unlike the standard Master Clan Council, there is a disparity in rank between myself, Lord Kamizaka, and all of you. Therefore, Lord Kamizaka will serve as the chairperson. Are there any objections?"
"...No. I understand," Mai conceded.
Yugen and Mototsugu took their seats—Mototsugu next to Katsuto, and Yugen next to Goki. Without allowing a moment for the others to gauge their expressions, Mototsugu cut straight to the point.
"Since Lady Futatsugi has consented, I shall proceed. We are already aware of your current situation, so no explanation is required. Furthermore, we will not be wasting time on debate."
"Lord Kamizaka, why is that?" Katsuto asked.
"Because the two Guardian houses have already taken action in anticipation of this crisis."
"Lord Kamizaka... do you mean to say you knew in advance that we would be targeted by terrorists—that the Master Clan Council would be attacked?"
Mototsugu's explanation was blunt. He met Raizo's questioning gaze with a serious, unwavering stare.
"In short, yes. However, we took precautions to ensure there were no fatalities. As a result, not a single non-magician was injured, and even the magicians involved escaped with minor wounds."
"Then why was this information not shared with us?!" Goki interjected sharply. "If we knew we were the targets, we could have changed the venue at the last minute!"
Goki's logic was sound for a standard threat, but Yugen spoke up to reveal a truth they were missing.
"Lord Ichijo, even if the mastermind behind this terror attack possessed hacking tools? Even if those tools could easily bypass the encryption levels used by the Master Clan Council?"
"Ridiculous. Such a thing—"
"It exists. Besides, as a man who uses magic to achieve the impossible, are you really going to deny the existence of such a tool?"
Yugen and Mototsugu knew of the Hlidskjalf terminal within the Kagurazaka estate, and they knew Gheed Heigh was its owner. Goki wanted to deny it, but he fell silent under Yugen's piercing gaze. Some in the room realized that their very meeting might be under surveillance, but Mototsugu raised a hand to settle them.
"I should mention that this room is currently under a specialized barrier; the chance of external hacking is nearly zero, though not impossible. Now, Lord Kagurazaka, please explain."
"Understood, Lord Kamizaka."
Yugen began his briefing. The eyes of the most powerful magicians in Japan were fixed on him, but he proceeded with calm indifference.
"First, to the heads of the Ten Master Clans: the decision to withhold information was mine. The reason was twofold. Not only does the mastermind possess hacking capabilities, but we had to prevent a situation where he might commit indiscriminate terror in the city out of desperation. Had he slaughtered non-magicians, he could have spread the rumor that the 'Master Clans used the Japanese people as shields to escape,' inciting a social backlash against all magicians."
Yugen knew that the explosives used—though old by his previous life's standards—were immensely powerful. In a crowded city, the death toll could have reached the thousands.
"We manipulated the hotel itself to deceive the mastermind, Gheed Heigh. Those measures were confirmed beforehand."
"Lord Kagurazaka, do you know the nature of the magic the enemy used?" Goki asked, his specialty being organic interference.
"Heigh used a technique from the continent known as Jiangshi arts—a form of necromancy that interferes with the target's psyche to turn humans into mindless 'flesh puppets.' Its maximum control range is approximately ten kilometers. We have confirmed the source of the spell was a private residence in Odawara."
The name Gheed Heigh caused a stir—Chihiro had mentioned him in a previous council. Yugen continued, unfazed.
"Furthermore, Heigh never expected to kill you all. He knows a bomb blast can be negated by Lord Jumonji's Phalanx."
"He didn't intend to kill us? Then why?"
"The essence of a bombing is its 'indiscriminate' nature. If you think on that, you will understand his true goal."
Yugen didn't need to spell it out. The Clan heads quickly realized the intended narrative: the "elite" Master Clans emerging unscathed while innocent bystanders were torn apart.
"Starting earlier this year, students at First High have been targeted by 'Humanists' for stalking, filming, and verbal abuse. If Heigh's plan succeeds, it won't just be First High; students at every magic high school and the National Magic University will become targets. If we overlook this, the very order of the magical community will collapse."
Protecting the safety of the nation's magically gifted was paramount.
"The reason Lord Kamizaka and I are here in person is to ensure you realize this is no longer just a 'Ten Master Clans' problem—it is a problem for the future of this country. As those entrusted with the nation's peace by His Imperial Majesty, I, Yugen Kagurazaka, as the primary lead, and Mototsugu Kamizaka, as my second, hereby request the Ten Master Clans to secure the capture of Gheed Heigh. This is based on the agreements regarding the Master Clans inherited from the Japanese government and the National Defense Force."
Takumi Shippou, a new member of the Ten, looked stunned. "You say you 'inherited' the agreements from the government? What does that mean?"
"It means," Mototsugu answered, "that all agreements and unofficial pacts previously held by the government and the Defense Force regarding the Master Clan Council—including the restriction that Clan heads cannot move without the permission of the Integrated Command—have been stripped from them. Under the approval of His Imperial Majesty, the houses of Kamizaka and Kagurazaka now bear that responsibility."
The government had initially resisted, and the Defense Force had screamed about the "privatization of a national-scale military force." However, the Emperor had been firm during the Prime Minister's appointment: if the government was not prepared to bear the burden of true national rebirth, he could not offer his approval. The Prime Minister had literally prostrated himself, swearing to lead Japan as a truly independent nation.
To fulfill that oath, the Prime Minister transferred all authority over the Master Clan Council to the two Guardian houses. Magicians not belonging to the military or police were now essentially "Protectors of the State" recognized by the Emperor.
"Ordinarily, we would have the heads themselves move," Yugen continued, "but we must remain vigilant against 'Humanists' and anti-magic copycat crimes. Therefore, we require you all to maintain watch over your respective regions. By the joint decision of myself and Lord Kamizaka, we appoint Katsuto Jumonji to oversee this mission's general command."
"I am deeply grateful for this responsibility, especially given my previous lack of courtesy," Katsuto said, bowing. "As head of the Jumonji family, I accept the request of Lord Kagurazaka and Lord Kamizaka."
Yugen had chosen Katsuto precisely because he was a bridge-builder with fewer lingering animosities than the older generation. But he knew the Jumonji alone weren't enough.
"For information gathering, we appoint Gen Mitsuya. To assist Lord Jumonji, we appoint Takumi Shippou. And for the actual search-and-capture strike team... we appoint Masaki Ichijo, Tatsuya Shiba, and Toya Mutsuzuka."
"Wait, Lord Kagurazaka!" Mai interrupted. "Those three are high school students. It is one thing to serve the Master Clans, but to sacrifice their education for a long-term mission is—"
Yugen glanced at Maya. She gave a subtle nod that said, "I leave it to you."
"I did not choose them on a whim, Lady Futatsugi," Yugen said coldly. "I chose them because, despite being students, all three possess actual combat experience. If necessary, I will also join the field team."
"But..."
"If you have a better roster of individuals capable of reliably suppressing a high-level terrorist, please, by all means, share it. My knowledge is not infinite."
Mai fell silent. Then, Isuumi Itsuwa spoke up.
"Lord Kagurazaka, Lord Kamizaka, may I ask a question? Given the region involved, the Saegusa family should naturally be involved. Why were they excluded? Is it because of their ties to Zhou Gongjin?"
Yugen looked at Mototsugu, who sighed as if he had expected the question.
"I'll handle this one," Mototsugu said. "Lord Kagurazaka and Lord Saegusa made a pact last spring. In exchange for ignoring the Saegusa's media manipulation, Koichi-dono was to cease all contact with Zhou Gongjin. Lord Saegusa's eldest daughter, Mayumi, was present for this. Yet, Lord Saegusa broke that pact. Furthermore, we know he sent a subordinate to assassinate Zhou Gongjin and failed—we have this directly from Saburo Namakura himself."
Koichi went pale. Namakura (now serving the Kagurazaka as Saburo Hasekura) had confessed everything. Since Yugen, Fumiya, and Ayako had all witnessed the battle between Namakura and Zhou, there was no room for denial.
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