Kawashima Toya took the Sin-Star Holy Sword and placed it in the display case along with his other gear.
With a dragon now standing guard, he wasn't worried about a repeat of the previous theft.
In this agency, there was no longer any difference between keeping a weapon in his room or in the main hall.
.....
Outside, Gabriel watched the Principal's form dissipate, her eyes flickering with a momentary sadness.
"Rest in peace, Principal."
"Dammit, I still haven't found that Trash Fox. Where is he hiding?"
She took flight, heading back toward her apartment.
If she had bothered to check the agency's sign even once, she wouldn't have missed him so narrowly.
Jashin-chan watched the angel disappear into the distance, fuming.
"Running away like a coward! Next time, I'll show her what the great Jashin-chan is truly capable of."
Mmph! Mmmph!
Toya heard the muffled whimpering from inside and suddenly remembered he had left Medusa tied up.
He hurried back to the hall to release her.
Once freed, Medusa looked at him with a pair of deeply hurt eyes.
"Kawashima-kun, that was too much. Fighting is bad, but you actually tied me up."
"Whether it's you or a stranger, getting hurt still feels the same."
Toya laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.
"I know, I know. But it was a fight between an angel and a demon. Who could look away from that?"
He had been looking forward to the duel, only for God to crash the party.
Now, a fragment of the Creator's will had been snuffed out by the Sin-Star Holy Sword.
Gabriel had fled the moment she saw the Principal fall, ending any hope for a rematch.
I still can't believe a single strike ended him.
Toya stared at the dark blade in the display case, feeling increasingly puzzled.
According to the system, that avatar possessed power at the Pseudo-God level.
An entity of that caliber should have been able to wipe a city off the map with a single gesture.
Yet, the sword had pierced through him as if he were made of paper.
Toya couldn't find a logical answer, so he turned his attention toward Nyaruko.
As an avatar of an Outer God, she was the only one capable of such a feat.
Nyaruko's long silver ahoge sensed his gaze and instantly curled into the shape of a heart.
"Darling, do you have something you want to say to me?"
"Not really..."
Toya watched the hair twitch.
As expected of an Outer God. Her very hair changes shape on a whim.
He realized he still didn't know much about this version of her.
She shared many traits with the one from the anime, yet her power felt far more substantial.
She loved tokusatsu, especially Kamen Rider, and mimicked their fighting styles perfectly.
Toya glanced at her silver hair and her checkered skirt.
Maybe even those clothes are parts of her.
He had a suspicion that Nyaruko was a composite entity made of multiple fragments.
"Darling, do I look cute?" Nyaruko struck a pose, her smile bright and radiant.
"Average at best," Toya replied flatly.
He had already glimpsed the true, eldritch nature of her kind.
No human skin could truly deceive his perception anymore.
He returned to his seat and gave her a stern look.
"Nyaruko, don't you ever make another weapon like that sword."
"If I catch you doing it, I'll use it to cut you in half."
He had to set boundaries, or she would likely fill the agency with doomsday devices.
"I won't do it again, Darling," Nyaruko waved her hand dismissively.
"I'd much rather play hero than forge swords anyway. It's a waste of time."
"Even Nyarlathotep had to lend a hand to finish that one."
So the Great One actually intervened. Toya wasn't surprised.
An EX-rank item was likely beyond the capabilities of a mere avatar.
As the evening progressed, Toya settled back into his usual routine.
However, the world began to change without anyone noticing.
The temperature was steadily rising.
By the time night fell, the air had become oppressively hot.
Even though the sun was down, it felt as though the city had been dropped into a desert.
Toya leaned against the wall, fanning himself frantically.
The air conditioner was set to its lowest temperature, yet the heat remained.
In the main hall, Kasugano Sora, Jashin-chan, and Kasumigaoka Utaha were huddled near the vents.
"What is going on today?"
Toya checked the temperature on his phone, his brow furrowing.
Why is it still this hot at night?
The heat felt pervasive, ignoring the cooling effects of the machines.
It wasn't just a physical temperature; it felt as though it were searing the soul.
Hanazono Yurine had even traded her favorite dress for lighter loungewear.
"Master, this isn't normal," Tohru said, her expression grim as she approached him.
"I just checked the global news. The temperature is the same everywhere."
"From the poles to the equator, it's scorching. What could have caused this?"
Toya had sensed the anomaly, but the system remained silent.
No commissions had been issued, and there were no warnings of a global crisis.
Without the system's guidance, he was blind.
The crisis was worldwide; he couldn't search the entire planet on his own.
Just then, Nyaruko walked out of her room, looking completely unfazed.
She was casually eating a popsicle while the others were melting.
"Everyone, please be patient," she said with a cheerful smile.
"This heatwave will only last for seven days at most."
The group looked at her, stunned by her lack of discomfort.
The heat felt like a spiritual assault, yet she acted as if nothing were wrong.
Maybe I should take that popsicle, Jashin-chan thought, her eyes glinting.
There might be something special in it that keeps her cool.
No, wait... a popsicle touched by an Outer God? That sounds revolting.
Toya straightened up, his face hardening.
"Nyaruko, what do you know about this?"
"I know everything," she replied, taking a leisurely bite of her treat.
"But Darling... you should know exactly why this is happening too."
"Me?"