The moment Takeru unleashed the holy magic "Sacred Circle," the rooftop door opened.
—Oh no!
Feeling the sudden presence behind him, Takeru panicked.
However, he could no longer stop the magic, and with a fierce light, the wraith and other undead were destroyed.
"..."
"..."
Then came the silence.
Only Takeru, the girl, and the blue gate were left swaying on the rooftop.
"I found you... You are—"
Sensing that the girl behind him was about to call out, Takeru silently stood up and crushed the gate.
—Physical Boost.
Muttering this softly, Takeru ran away, unaware that he had dropped his smartphone.
"...!"
It was a speed that would normally be invisible to the eye.
But Sakura's eyes caught sight of Takeru.
He dashed out from the rooftop and was running across the roof of an abandoned factory in the direction opposite the school gates.
"Wait!"
Lightning Boost was a magic that greatly enhanced physical abilities compared to regular Physical Boost.
The power was immense, but it was difficult to control—much like how a taxi driver wouldn’t be able to handle an F1 car; it was something ordinary magicians couldn’t manage.
However, the power when mastered was overwhelming.
Sakura became the youngest S-class hunter in history largely because she had mastered this power better than anyone else.
Yet even so—
"Kuh... fast—?!"
Not out of arrogance, but Sakura is a top-level hunter in the country.
Especially her speed, utilizing lightning magic, could be considered the best in the nation.
"Is that just a Physical Boost? Impossible..."
That’s why Sakura couldn’t hide her astonishment as the distance between her and the boy running ahead continued to widen.
While Sakura was surprised, Takeru was also taken aback.
"She can keep up with this speed...?"
Even while moving rapidly by jumping from rooftop to rooftop, he still felt the pressure of the presence behind him.
If he turned around, he would reveal his face, so he had no idea who was pursuing him.
From what he had seen of hunters on TV, he never thought anyone could match his speed.
Takeru glanced at his own body.
—While I can use magic, my body is still an ordinary high school student.
Compared to when he was "Yamato Takeru," who had been training in another world, "Kusanagi Takeru’s" body was untrained and weak.
Physical Boost was a magic that raised one's physical abilities, so the higher the base ability, the more effective it was.
While he could mask his weaknesses with magical power, Takeru’s physical abilities were far inferior to their peak.
"Even if I can use magic, I might be in trouble if I let my guard down... I don’t intend to stand out, but I should probably train a little more."
Training wouldn’t be a problem for when he eventually returned his body.
Right now, it was more important to shake off his pursuer.
"Alright."
A small wind swirled around Takeru's feet, and at that moment, he focused all his strength into them.
"Aerial Boost."
The wind wrapped around his feet.
Then that wind exploded, propelling him forward at rocket-like speed, quickly putting distance between him and the girl behind him.
"Huh? What was that...?"
Sakura, taken aback by the sheer momentum, realized that with her own speed, it would be impossible to catch up, and she stopped, watching from the rooftop of a house.
"..."
After making a gesture as if thinking about something, she turned back toward the school.
"Haah, I finally shook her off."
Thinking that moving around on the rooftops was too conspicuous, he landed in a place where there were no people.
He had prioritized fleeing, so he had gotten quite far from the school.
"Still, I didn’t expect to be chased that much..."
At the very least, Takeru had been serious about escaping.
Although he was only using Physical Boost, even basic magic could be a strong weapon if mastered.
Having fought against the Demon King’s army as the Messiah in another world, Takeru’s physical abilities far surpassed anyone else's.
"From what I’ve seen online and on TV, I thought hunters were at most the level of typical knight orders or adventurers... but there are actually some pretty strong people."
While pondering this, he arrived at his familiar home.
"I'm home."
"Oh, welcome back, Takeru. A friend is here to see you."
"Huh?"
—A friend?
Hearing that, Takeru thought of Sawamura.
Could it be that he was worried because of what happened at school?
But he wondered if he knew about his home situation and why he would come under these circumstances, when his mother answered him.
“That kid brought back the smartphone you dropped.”
“Huh? Ah... You're right.”
When he put his hand in his pocket, he realized his smartphone was indeed missing.
It seemed he had dropped it during the earlier commotion.
“I didn’t notice... I need to thank him.”
With that, he opened the living room door.
“But Takeru, I really can't leave you alone! When did you become friends with ‘such a cute and amazing kid’?”
“...”
Takeru’s expression turned serious at the unexpected appearance of the guest.
“Welcome back. I’ve been waiting for you, Kusanagi Takeru-kun?”
A cute voice he had never heard before.
A beautiful girl who seemed familiar but whom he had never met in person.
She held Takeru’s smartphone and wore a slightly unsettling smile.
“...Takamine Sakura, san? The S-Class hunter?”
“Yes. Thank you for earlier.”
—Oh no... She saw my power back then too...
Takeru was aware that she had witnessed him during his first gate break.
Since she had appeared in magazines numerous times as the youngest S-Class hunter, he remembered her face from that time.
Now he finally understood who had chased after him earlier.
—No wonder I couldn’t shake her off easily.
Takeru had thought that hunters were at a considerably high level, but it made sense if she was a top-tier opponent.
Behind him, his mother was grinning happily, but the relationship between Sakura and him was definitely not that sweet.
—This is bad.
Just as she said, she had come to his house likely because of what happened on the rooftop.
If he started talking here, everything would be revealed to his anxious mother behind him.
—His son suddenly having monster-like powers shouldn’t be something she should know...
He didn’t want to cause his kind parents any sadness.
So, while he put on a facade, Takeru showed Sakura a smile.
“Thank you for picking up my smartphone.”
“No problem. I actually came because I wanted to ask you something, so this works out perfectly.”
—Here it comes...
Takeru tried to keep his inner panic from showing and maintained his composure.
“You want to ask me something? I don’t think there’s anything an ordinary guy like me could answer.”
“Oh? An ordinary guy, huh?”
“Yes.”
Sakura smiled slightly darkly.
Takeru smiled back.
Sparks seemed to fly between them.
“Is that so?. Then... about the Bloody Ogre that was rampaging in the city the other day...”
“...”
“And the incident at the abandoned factory yesterday...”
“...”
“And what happened on the rooftop earlier...”
“...”
“I have a lot of questions for you...”
—Somehow, it feels like way more is known than I expected!?
Takeru was sweating profusely inside while Sakura stood smiling confidently.
"Of course, you'll answer, right?"
"Takeru? What are you talking about—"
"Oh, right! Since we’re at it, I’d like to thank you, so how about we talk in my room for a bit?!"
Judging that things were getting really bad, Takeru raised his voice.
"Understood."
"Oh, oh my?!"
His mother looked very pleased.
However, nothing sweet was really happening at all.
When they entered Takeru's room, Sakura directed her gaze around.
It was just an ordinary room. However, the hunter magazines were marked with sticky notes, and her eyes sharpened for a moment.
—Is she checking out the hunters?
If Takeru could read Sakura's mind, he would think that this was just a misunderstanding.
"Please, go ahead."
"No, I’m fine just standing like this."
Takeru offered her a chair, but Sakura remained standing with a wary demeanor.
Realizing this, Takeru had no choice but to sit down himself.
—So she’s not going to let me go...
Sakura stood in front of the door.
Her cool gaze pierced straight through Takeru, and it seemed she had no intention of smiling like before.
With tension in the air, Sakura opened her mouth.
"So, who exactly are you?"
"Who am I? Why are you asking me that...?"
Faced with Sakura's straightforwardness, Takeru hesitated.
From their earlier conversation, it seemed she had grasped most of what he had been doing up until now.
—It seems like poor excuses won’t work.
"I will restrain you depending on your answer."
Sakura sparked lightning from her palm, intimidating him.
"…"
—However, I can’t exactly say I was a savior in another world...
But part of his power had already been seen, so remaining completely silent would be a bad move.
Seeing Takeru like that, a bad thought crossed Sakura’s mind.
—To hide that much power... could he be a member of a dark guild?
A group that commits crimes using magic and doesn’t belong to the Hunter Association.
Some among them have powers comparable to S-Class hunters, and the association views them as dangerous.
The earlier escape, defeating the Bloody Ogre, and made the students of Ouran Academy fear with just remnants of magical power.
It was more than enough to suspect that he was hiding his power while not being affiliated with the Hunter Association.
Just as she was about to tense up, he opened his mouth.
"I don’t know."
"You don’t know?"
"I have amnesia."
"…"
This was something he had explained at school, and it was easy to find out.
"So, I can’t remember my name or anything about my parents..."
"—?!"
The moment he said that, Sakura widened her eyes in surprise.
For her, who valued family above all else, those words were a huge shock.
—No, that’s strange.
But immediately, Sakura noticed the contradiction in Takeru's words.
"It’s odd that someone with amnesia can use magic, isn’t it?"
Magic is a discipline that anyone can learn.
While it relies heavily on the innate magical power and talent one has, children can use it if taught.
Conversely—if you don’t know, you can’t use it.
"I just find the way to use it comes to my mind."
"That’s impossible..."
Sakura pondered, wondering if such a thing could happen.
Thirty years ago, the magicians who taught humanity magic were no longer around.
They had seemingly vanished without a trace as if they had never existed in the first place.
That’s why magic was both a discipline and an unexplained, mysterious technology.
In other words, it wouldn’t be strange for anything to happen.
"…Indeed, there have been cases in the past where people became stronger in magic when on the brink of death or awakened special abilities. However, I’ve never heard of anyone like you who just suddenly knows how to use it."
Sakura stared intently at Takeru.
"Assuming what you say is true, and the way to use magic just comes to mind, how can you fight monsters?"
"…"
Sakura recalled the students at school earlier.
Even weak monsters could be defeated if one remained calm, but an ordinary person unfamiliar with fighting would fear them and lose composure.
Yet Takeru fought as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Knowing how to fight and being able to fight are two completely different things."
Sakura increased the power of the lightning in her palm, applying pressure to intimidate Takeru.
"I’ll ask you again. Why can you fight monsters?"
"Uh... just somehow?"
Takeru, understanding that Sakura’s words were a threat, didn’t feel fear from her pressure.
He simply couldn’t come up with a good excuse and ended up saying that, causing Sakura to let out a large sigh, as if deflated, and extinguished the lightning.
"...Hah. Do you really think I would be satisfied with that answer?"
"Even if you say that... The magic I should use just comes to mind, and my body moves on its own."
This was not a lie for Takeru.
For him, who had been fighting continuously, his body instinctively performed the optimal movements without needing to think.
—Did he gain a special ability in place of amnesia? But if that were true...
"What’s the reason for hiding your power?"
"I suddenly obtained this power without knowing why. I don’t want to use something so terrifying."
"If you have that much power, you could excel at the top level as a hunter."
"I have no intention of becoming a hunter. My parents would worry."
"Even if you could have status and fame, all according to your wishes?"
The moment he heard those words, Takeru briefly recalled his life in another world.
He had status and fame, fought as a hope for the people, and then—was executed.
"I don’t need such things."
That’s why Takeru firmly stated, in the strongest words he had spoken that day.
Having learned far too well throughout his life that great power came with significant responsibilities, Takeru deemed status and fame unnecessary.
"I just want to live a quiet life."
"…"
Sakura was surprised by Takeru’s words.
Normally, a hunter with such power would want to use it.
Yet from Takeru’s serious eyes, only the desire for a peaceful life truly shone through.
—There’s no lie in those words, huh...
"I understand."
"Huh?"
"If you really don’t intend to recklessly wield your power, I have no reason to report you to the Hunter Association. I’ll take care of everything that happened earlier."
"Ah, thank you!"
Having been seen clearly during that rooftop incident, Takeru had assumed that it would have already been reported.
He even considered that Sakura might have come to take him to the Hunter Association.
Thus, Takeru felt a deep sense of relief, his tension easing.
"To say thank you even after having your achievements taken from you... you’re really an unusual person."
Normally, hunters wanted to flaunt their power and accomplishments, but his reaction was the complete opposite.
For some reason, this pleased her, and she smiled gently.
"Your power is too great, but... I want to respect your wish to live quietly."
"…"
Takeru was taken aback, not expecting such words from her.
If one had power, they should use it; it’s an obligation of the powerful.
It wouldn’t be surprising if she expected something of him, yet she asked for nothing and simply supported him.
That made him feel a little happy.
"So, if you ever run into any trouble, please contact me."
Sakura took out her smartphone and approached him.
"Um...?"
Sakura, who intended to exchange contact information, was puzzled by Takeru’s lack of response.
Seeing her like this, Takeru finally realized they were about to exchange contact info and hurriedly took action.
He also pulled out his smartphone, but he was still not used to it and didn’t really know what to do next.
He started pressing various buttons...
"Where’s the infrared port?"
"Infrared?"
That word brought a peculiar silence to the room, different from before.
"...Um. We're exchanging contact information, right?"
"Yes, just open the QR code like this..."
And so, the two exchanged contact information amid the awkward atmosphere.
As Sakura exited Takeru’s room and descended the stairs, she turned to him.
"I’m really sorry for chasing you out of the blue today."
"No, I’m the one who should apologize for running away."
As Sakura left Takeru’s house, she suddenly recalled Hebikawa from earlier that day.
If that man was targeting him, she couldn’t imagine Takeru would be able to live in peace for much longer.
"I became a hunter so that people could live a ‘normal’ life."
Suddenly, with a serious tone, Sakura began to speak, making Takeru wonder what she meant.
"...Kusanagi-kun, I don’t think you can hide your great power forever."
"…"
"However, if you truly wish to live a quiet life without being overwhelmed by the power you’ve suddenly acquired..."
—Your peace, I will protect it.
Her expression was as if she had made a firm resolution or was reaffirming her determination.
"Why do you trust me so much? I might end up using my power recklessly..."
Takeru had been feared and ultimately killed in another world for simply being "scary because of strong power."
That’s why he understood better than anyone that unfathomable power could evoke fear.
Yet—
"Everything you’ve done up until now has been to protect someone."
When Sakura said this with a smile, Takeru felt a small sense of joy at having his past actions acknowledged.
As Sakura stepped out of Takeru’s house, she couldn’t help but laugh as she recalled their earlier conversation.
"By the way, heh... I’ve never heard of someone wanting to exchange contact information through infrared before."
She looked at the characters spelling "Kusanagi Takeru" on the smartphone.
A boy with immense power who didn’t think to wield it.
To Sakura, who had seen many hunters, he seemed like a very rare existence.
"Speaking of which... I should probably tell him later that he shouldn't set his smartphone password to 0000."
Smartphones can be unlocked with numerical passwords in addition to fingerprint and facial recognition.
Sakura had come to Takeru’s house because she was able to open his smartphone with a randomly input password.
Under normal circumstances, one wouldn’t use such a password, but that was likely due to his amnesia.
Seeing him struggle with the smartphone reminded her of an old man, and she walked home, laughing again.
Meanwhile, Takeru was explaining various circumstances to his mother, who had learned from the news that Kazami High School was in serious trouble due to a gate break.
