Published at 11th of May 2019 7:40 am

Volume 1, Chapter 4

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A large waterfall that flowed from a giant tree’s trunk.

An aquatic city built by the riverside.

Enormous birds unheard of were flying about in the sky.

Even while denying the "impossible" scenery that unfolded before his eyes, Saigou Homura, like an ultra-speed computer, was quickly thinking of countermeasures.

(Around....4000m in the sky! If the air resistance is the same, then it’ll take about 90 seconds before we hit the ground! Dammit, will we make it?)

The three continued to accelerate under the freefall.

While embracing Ayato, Homura made a quick decision.

"Suzuka! At this rate, we'll die instantly once we hit the ground! Can you transport us to the middle of a river?"

"I can, but that will probably be useless! My Apport & Asport transfers the bodies along with their kinetic energy!"

"Tch, I have never heard of this before, sister......!"

But it was something to be expected if one thought about it. If the energy was not transferred along, the forces operating the human body would be left behind.

The moment he realized this, despair began to sink in. Ayazato Suzuka's maximum effective range was only 120 meters. Taking the gravitational acceleration into account, transferring them directly to the ground with maximum distance wouldn’t be much different from a direct collision.

30 seconds left before impact.

Throwing caution to the wind, Homura shouted.

"Then, could you change the direction of the kinetic energy as you transfer?"

"Wh-what do you mean!?"

"It's hard to explain but kinetic energy should have the same direction as the moving object! Therefore, if the direction of our bodies was changed, we should gain a slim chance of survival! I’m guessing that it might diminish the kinetic energy! There is no time left, I'm counting on you───!!!"

Three seconds left before crashing. Suzuka raised her right hand and changed their direction just as Homura instructed. Despite the risks this theory entailed in this life and death situation, that decision turned out to be correct.

Reverse-transferred at 20cm above the water’s surface, Homura, along with Ayato, rose vertically. Following that, they flew upwards around a meter before falling back down into the large river.

On the other hand, the reverse transfer didn't go as smoothly for Suzuka as she was now flying parallel to water's surface.

"Wah-hyaa!"

As a result, she bounced and rolled along the water's surface like a skipping stone while screaming. Fortunately, that momentum pushed Suzuka to the riverside. Though she was coughing violently due to the rough experience, her life was not in danger.

Rather, the problem lay in the other two who had fallen in the large river.

“Oof…!”

Fortunately, even though their momentum wasn’t completely killed, there seemed to be something soft underneath the river that saved them. It seemed to be the softness of a living creature, but there was no time to confirm it.

Suzuka's and Homura's miscalculation was that the flow of the river was quicker and the depth of it was deeper than they anticipated. He could have probably managed if he were alone, but it was almost impossible to swim to the shore while supporting Ayato.

Amidst the violent water current, Homura faced towards the shore and started swimming desperately. Although Ayato's bleeding has stopped, her condition was still uncertain. At this rate, it was unknown how her condition would change.

It was necessary to get her body dried immediately, but at the current situation, Homura might be the first to die.

(The flow….it’s too fast….!)

Even as he swallowed some of the river water, he kept clenching his teeth, desperately moving his body.

It might be possible to swim through if he abandoned Ayato, but that was not an option. If he planned to abandon her, he would have abandoned her long ago. Homura today, in the circumstances that underwent an absurd change, have always acted to the best of his abilities.

So even to the very end, there was no way he could give up.

Homura went beyond his limit, and paddled the water with all his might.

As his life flashed before his eyes and thought he had to finally resign──At that moment, Homura’s hand was pulled up strongly by someone.

(Wh-Who is it!!!)

"Are you alright!? Please hold on for a bit longer!"

It was a voice he has never heard before. It seemed to belong to a girl.

The hand seemed to belong to a little girl but it was unusually powerful. In the wake of the rapid stream of the large river, she carried Homura and Ayato to the shore in a flash.

While Homura laid down, grasping hard, the aroma of the earth and the warmth of sunlight made him feel strangely comfortable.

────At any rate, I can have some rest now.

Due to the peace of mind he felt after being rescued, he abruptly felt that his consciousness was fading away.

But as he suddenly realized that he hasn't thanked the person who saved them, he tried his best to stand up in hopes of at least saying a word of thanks.

But at that moment, the final surprise of the day appeared.

"Who……..Who was the one that fell on my heeeeeaaaaaad!!!?"

From the large river, a humongous neck of a snake started to rose up. The riverbed that they hit a while ago turned out to be the head of that giant snake. Homura who didn't have any strength left for surprise, couldn't help but start laughing ironically.

As Homura was thinking that he would simply end up in that snake's belly, he heard the girl from before.

"Please wait a minute, Shirayukihime-sama! I think they were just summoned here───”

The girl was wholeheartedly trying to convince the big snake.

With a hazy mind, Homura looked up to his savior. Although the weight of the blue hair that reached to her waist was increased from absorbing the water, it still resembled a tender moonlight.

She seemed to be approximately 12 years old. She clearly had a childish appearance. It was questionable how such herculean strength dwelled inside this little girl, but in comparison to a single distinctive feature of her body, that kind of question was insignificant.

No, before talking about being a girl, there was a part of her body that was different from humans.

(...................)

Long Usamimi grown on her head. Short tail. Long blue hair.

Just from glancing over it, that silhouette could be tsukkomi'd in many ways. However before he could do so, Homura had lost his consciousness.

The bunny girl who saved Homura bent her head slightly while putting a hand on it.

"Uhh, even though Kuro Usagi doesn't properly understand the circumstances, but just looking at these cat headphones, they could be Izayoi-san’s acquaintances, right?"

“And on top of that, they are too weak. Well, we can't leave them like this."

Both of them nodded in agreement.

Although the snake was furious, it doesn’t seem to have any plans on catching and eating them.

The bunny girl who called herself Kuro Usagi and the giant white serpent took Homura, Ayato and Suzuka, and started moving straight ahead, towards the bottom of the giant tree while looking up to the sky.

*

───Houei Private University's associated Academy, above the middle school building’s wreckage.

At that time, back in school.

".....Seriously. Never in my life have I been manipulated by someone like this."

Sitting on top of the rubble, Sakamaki Izayoi was feeling frustrated since a while ago. He was always calm and would keep his composure no matter what, and perhaps came somewhat prepared, but this particular game developed into a scale that he became helpless even with his power.

No, that’s incorrect. Comparing the threat of this game, there were many previous predicaments he had faced that went beyond this. But the current gift game was simply out of his field. No matter how much he turns his head and no matter how many fists he swings, he won't reach a fundamental solution.

"What should I do, Queen. If you summon Minotaur, as well as “Taurus”, Homura and Suzuka to Little Garden while leaving just me here, I wouldn’t be able to return now, would I?"

Yes - The night sky was so serene that the previous raging storm seemed like a lie. Nothing like an ox shaped cumulonimbus cloud or a giant battleaxe wielding ox were to be seen anywhere. Standing alone on the school building's rubble, Izayoi had no choice but to feel at loss.

(Well, it won't help no matter how much I think about it. Since this situation has already developed to this, there should still be a place that’s linked to it.)

For starters, maybe I'll go to that coastal area at South America where the two mysterious oxen have first appeared.

When he came to such conclusion.

Suddenly, a man’s footsteps could be heard getting close as he was kicking the debris.

"Oi oi.........and I was still thinking about how the Heavenly bull disappeared, so it was your doing? Wasn't it extremely flashy, Sakamaki Izayoi. Just who do you think has to deal with this mess, huh?"

Mikado Tokuteru showed a wry smile while holding a cigarette with his mouth.

Seeing Mikado Tokuteru, Izayoi raised a surprised voice.

".......Now this is astounding. Really, I'm seriously surprised. I did not hear that the strongest War God-sama would be coming. Is the current circumstances that serious, Taishakuten?"

"It's Mikado Tokuteru. It could be passed of as a joke if we’re in Little Garden, but don't carelessly call me that in the outside world. Others might notice."

Indra told him off in a slightly annoyed tone. He wasn't sure what he was so vigilant about, whatever the reason is, he is not acting rashly.

Izayoi shrugged his shoulders and continued.

"And, about the current situation. Since you came, there was no need for me to come to the outside world, was there?"

"No, our roles are different. All we can do in this matter is to minimize the after-treatment…. But actually, in comparison to the typhoon's damage, the virus would be the more troublesome one."

"Heeeh? So the pestilent is really that bad, huh?"

"It can't be described with just ‘bad’. With it’s infestation, not just the animals, but even the crops will be infected by the virus. In a few months’ time, the prices of wheat and corn would suddenly escalate. Famine will begin in some regions, and after that, it might lead to international currency problems.

With Tokuteru's statement, Izayoi started frowning more and more.

"........That ain't a joke anymore. Will it be alright?"

"It's not alright. Usually, we always quickly tidy things up with our authority but……… but the current matter at hand is connected to the Sun Authority War. Using the powers of divine spirits to meddle with it is against the rules. You can take care of the aftereffects, but whatever it is, the game has to be cleared with human powers."

"Whaa, seriously?"

He shook his body to suppress his laughter. He couldn't help but laugh from all the unfavorable odds that piled up.

Izayoi stood up and while stretching, looked up at the night sky.

"Defeating those mysterious bulls is my job, but aside from that the problem is, who would solve it? Stuff like crop diseases are out of my expertise, you know?

"Relax. Homura has already found the solution on that issue."

Ha? - Izayoi raised a disarrayed voice. He did not understand why Homura's name came up in their conversation.

"Homura's solution.......Wait a minute. You, what are you making him do?"

"That's a secret for now. ........And, what will you do now? As things are now, you can’t return, right? If you have nothing particular to do, how about you join my company?"

"Company? What the, you are managing a company?"

"Yes. I'm a guy who satisfies god's boredom of having too much time in the outside world. Until two years ago, I've been a free agent and did various activities, it turned out to be unexpectedly enjoyable. I got carried away and made a company. It's a place called International Security Service manly employing mercenaries."

".......Hnn? Then, is it profitable?"

"Well, so-so. The customer, Everything Company pays just enough to stay afloat. Like this, I have to earn while descending to humans."

Mikado Tokuteru suddenly averted his gaze.

But if that's true, then it would be the strongest mercenary group in history. Along with it being the most reliable.

"Everything company - Is it that large a company? You have some good connections."

"Of course, that company........Ah, I see. You still haven't met with the Ojousama, huh?"

Haa? Izayoi let out a voice.

Tokuteru showed a unpleasant grin and started walking.

"Anyway, understanding the current situation is the top priority. We also have to have a strategy meeting soon."

"That's fine, but where are we going? To your company?"

"That's fine, but it is a little dirty. We'll stay overnight at Canaria Foster Home and decide everything by tomorrow."

───Izayoi's eyebrow twitched. He looked like he wanted say something about the current situation, but he didn't have any particular complaints so he’d just save complaining for later.

In order to come up with a solution, the two of them started walking towards their destination - Canaria Family Home.

Then suddenly, Izayoi looked up at the sky.

(Which reminds me.........Homura and the others, I wonder where they fell in Little Garden...........?)

*

───"Great waterfall of Underwood", the guest room within the Great Tree.

Sleeping on the straw bed, Homura suddenly awoke in an unfamiliar comfort. But along with the waking of his senses, his body felt so heavy that even simply raising his body was out of the question.

(.......Where, is this?)

While facing up, he started to confirm the situation he was in now.

Judging from his physical condition, he has presumably slept for about half a day. The body sensation he felt seemed to be from not moving his body for around half of the day rather than from fatigue.

The only question remaining was the location of this place.

Looking up, there was nothing like illumination, instead there was only a lamp placed within this wooden built room. As for the reason why he felt a sense of discomfort in that room, it was due to the fact that he was not able to see any seam no matter where he looked. It seemed as if the room was carved inside a large tree.

(Which reminds me...........While falling, we saw that ridiculously large tree. Where we carried over there?)

If that is so, then this was probably inside of that large tree.

His limbs did not seem to be bound. Certainly, it seemed to be a safe place. However, just when Homura turned his head sideways to look at the interior of the room, he saw two strange protruding objects besides the bed.

"................."

───Usaa!

Along with that sound, two protruding objects1 perked up.

While he was still half asleep and dizzy, Homura tilted his head and wondered "What’s that?" as he stretched his hand towards them and pulled.

"Tei!"

"Fugyaa!"

A shriek came from the bedside. And along with it, a loli with usamimi hopped up.

"Wa-Wait a minute! I silently consented up to the point when you touched them, but pulling Kuro Usagi's lovely usamimi without even introducing yourself, what do you think you are doing!?"

"It was done out of curiosity."

"That excessively carefree statement that brings deja vu is banned!!!"

With a "Spaaan!", the Usamimi Loli hit his head with a paper fan she took out from somewhere..

───Yea, at this point, nothing more can surprise me.

After witnessing that ox shaped cumulonimbus cloud and ox-headed Minotaur.

Even if one or two more usamimi girls appear, it won't be a surprise anymore. Compared to that, one, two, three or four usamimis are too cute for one’s sake.

Above all else, he didn't feel any malice or hostility, indicating that there were no hostile intentions.

"Uhh, first let me confirm. The one who saved us was you..........Kuro Usagi, right?"

"YES! Kuro Usagi saved you!"

"I see. Then, once again, thank you very much. Aside from me, my junior’s condition was considerably dangerous right?"

He indirectly asked about the other two's safety. While understanding the motives of his question, Kuro Usagi frankly smiled and nodded.

"That’s right. Suzuka-san only has a bump on her head, while the other person.............Ayato-san suffered from a severe bleeding. However, thanks to the treatment, she is already up and should be roaming around outside!"

Seeing that Kuro Usagi's words held no lie in them, Homura was relieved bringing him peace of mind.

"..........Thank god. Kuro Usagi seems dependable."

"YES! Please have faith in me! ...............By the way, it's about time you named yourself, right?"

"Yep. I'm Saigou Homura, nice to meet you. By the way, is that "Kuro Usagi" a nickname?"

"While you could say that, it's also my real name! So, please call me Kuro Usagi!"

He slightly nodded while holding back a tsukkomi. Since if such was a part of their customs, he would have any qualms with itt.

Now that he was fully awake to calmly use his head, he took another look at the usamimi girl.

From her stature, she looked about 10 years old, but her responses were unexpectedly fluent.

He wasn’t able to see it from the bed before, but her posture and behaviour was rather good, and at a glance, she appeared to be a bit older. The main reason for that, was her face that looked surprisingly well arranged and had a mature look. In a few years, she would become a stunning beauty.

"Uhh, then, Kuro Usagi. I have few questions to ask, would that be okay?"

"Of course. But before that, let's join up with the other two, shall we?"

"Of course, please lead the way."

"YES! Well then, let's go!"

With an "Usaa!", Kuro Usagi's usamimi stood up as she advanced.

Homura then put on his already dried coat and followed after her.

The corridor that he thought was inside of that large tree was actually a wooden space. It seemed that it was not his imagination that there was slightly high humidity.

Listening closely, the sound of flowing water could be heard from somewhere.

(Although the grains are similar to the likes of a camphor tree, but it couldn't possibly be raised to such a colossal height)

After all, it was definitely a work of a power different from the laws of nature that he knew.

While his curiosity was itching a little, it was better to follow this usamimi girl for now. It would be no joke if he got lost or something.

Kuro Usagi was quietly giggling as she glanced back at Homura's tensed up expression.

"Fufu, I'm surprised. I have heard from Izayoi-san about his family, but you are surprisingly quite obedient. Though, at first you were very confused."

"...........You know Iza-nii?"

"YES! Izayoi-san is a member of a same community as Kuro Usagi. He was summoned exactly 3 years ago, wasn’t he?"

Three years ago───As a matter of fact, Izayoi had also said the same thing as her. But from Homura and others' memory, Izayoi Sakamaki disappeared exactly 5 years ago.

(Does the flow of time differ from ours.......? Speaking of which, it was lucky for this to happen during Golden Week. Or in a worse case, this might have become a case of disappearance.)

Well, the school building was wrecked to that extent. Even when Golden Week is over, the school won't be opening for a while. While musing about such random things, he continued walking inside the great tree.

After walking for a while, a sound like that of a steam whistle was heard from the opposite side of the wall of the great tree.

Homura asked as he listens to the unexpected sound.

Just now............what that a steam whistle? Is there a train here?"

"YES! It’s the spirit train that started to become popular just recently. Do you want to see it?"

A spirit train───From those unfamiliar words, his curiosity started throbbing more and more. Noticing that, Kuro Usagi turned to the side road while suppressing her laughter and stepped outside the great tree.

At that instant───With a gust of wind, Saigou Homura's field of vision was dominated by the serene water and colors of deep green.

"Wha-!"

In the middle of a large tree, 250m above ground, the wind was blowing sideways. And at the same time, a second steam whistle was raised. Homura bended down from the handrail to take a look at it.

Then he was amazed once again. It was not seen clearly from the distance, but it seemed that the shape of this great tree was spread above the great river.

From the trunks of this great tree, the sucked up water was flowing like a waterfall, or maybe more like a rain, or better put, like a drizzle and rained down on the town below. The aquatic city evolved into a form that took advantage of that and used it as a power source for things like water wheels and water-powered elevators.

Taking a closer look, something that reminded him of an old city was sank underneath the waterway.

"How is it? The scenery of “Underwood” that was reborn as an aquatic city.

"Reborn?"

"YES! Since one year ago, after the water tree's great spirit awakened, The rainfall of this water tree increased. Then, Izayoi-san and the others along with other communities worked hard for the aquatic city and as a result, it took the current shape of this scenery."

"............Iza-nii made this town?"

He muttered while looking below. Then, along with a steam whistle, a giant train emerged from under the water.

While Homura was staring in wonder, he pulled Kuro Usagi’s usamimi.

"O-oi! The train came from under the water!"

"Y-YES! It's a spirit train that moves with extremely high speed on spirit passages that are called the Ley Lines. If you are interested, do you want to take a look at it? While you're at it, could you let go of my usamimi?

"I am! Let's go quickly!"

Homura caught her usamimi in excitement and quickly dashed down the stairs.

On the way, he jumped on the water-powered elevator, vigorously turned the pulley and descended to the ground with a speed as if he was falling.

While the pulley rotated with a comfortable "Karakara" sound, the water current adjusted it's speed.

The structures itself resembled the buildings from the early medieval times, but this clear stream and this great tree city were plenty enough indeed. Compared to the modern high speed elevators that moved quietly, this one could bring more emotions and delight to humans.

Homura and Kuro Usagi who vigorously descended, dashed out from the elevator and continued walking in downtown. Everywhere in the downtown were lined-up by the waterways. The fountain water was also showing a superb performance by raising up and transforming by adjusting the lightings.

The open-air markets were filled with enthusiasm, crowds, shops selling strange ornaments, and grilled animals that looked like a mix of a deer and a bird which he had never seen was just right before the boy’s sight and appealed to his senses.

Homura, who has not visited such a place even in the outside world, could only turn speechless in mute amazement.

Then, from the opposite side of the crowd, a well familiar voice was heard.

"Oh, It's Homura, Aya-chan! Looks like he finally came!"

"Yeah. Making two ladies wait, what a hopeless Senpai."

Suzuka was in high spirits while holding candied apples in each hand, while Ayato held a strawberry omelette. After noticing Homura, the two of them started walking over to him as they split the crowd.

On the other hand, Homura, whose sight was stolen by the scenery, was still petrified.

Looking at such face of his, Kuro Usagi tilted her usamimi.

"Homura-san? What's wrong?"

"Ah, no, rather than this or that being wrong...........better put, I can't help but want to throw a tsukkomi at the world."

He was dumbfounded─── …...and while being at loss about how to express something, he was muttering vague things.

Among the people that looked like half beasts, a child who couldn’t be described other than as a spirit was playing on the fountain. In front of such fantastic scene, it could be said that his train of thought had been burnt.

In front of such fulfilling scenery, was it right to be perplexed and be lost for words?

Was it right to accept everything and have fun like Suzuka and Ayato?

Kuro Usagi's ears shook as she smiled at Homura who was at a loss.

"Now now. Seeing that the questions are piled up, how about we have lunch for now?"

"............Yeah.....right. Is there a good restaurant nearby?"

"Let’s see. In this season......... I think something like grilled Sakami bird and Peryton's2 ham and fried eggs should be fine!"

Now, this is one extremely carnivorous rabbit. Homura wanted to throw a tsukkomi more and more now but it was also true that he was hungry.

Hence, as the first action in another world, let's have a meal.

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