Vol. 6 Chapter 1.1 – Prologue: Emergence

Alkalea Raygil stood before the double doors, looking visibly irritated.

For a woman over one hundred eighty centimeters tall, her body was quite large, wrapped in armor of well-developed muscles. Her chest, which should have been ample, was tightly bound down by muscle and wrapped in a crude strip of cloth, while below her hip bones she wore jersey pants; her outfit plainly showed that she had no interest whatsoever in clothing or appearance. Her white hair was cut short, and if one were generous it could be called a shaggy cut, but frankly speaking, it looked as though it had simply been cut at random.

Her short hair swayed faintly as Alkalea threw open the double doors, not so much forcefully as somewhat roughly.

Light streamed into the dark room. At the very edge of that light, a black coffin floated.

At the position where a head would be, a mask woven from golden cords had been set, and its four corners were adorned in gold as well. For a coffin, it was far too ostentatious, far too assertive in its presence.

『So, you have come』

As Alkalea approached, unbelievably, a sharp, resolute man’s voice echoed from within the coffin, muffled yet resonant.

Faced with the pressure of that voice, Alkalea involuntarily came to a halt. Irritated at herself for doing so, she ground her back teeth.

『As always, such a lack of dignity befitting a first-class Shinigami』

The coffin spoke in a calm, matter-of-fact tone, not mocking, yet unmistakably critical.

“Coming from a Shinigami like Meiz Galdabroeg, I didn’t think you’d care about something as trivial as qualifications.”

When Alkalea glared at it, the coffin, Galdabroeg, responded with a low chuckle.

『Hahaha, indeed. I have no attachment whatsoever to the qualifications or order created by this rotten Shinigami world』

“Then that’s fine, isn’t it?”

Alkalea snorted, clearly displeased.

『However, as the Third Rank among us, the Four Lightning Axes, who possess the greatest power within 《Týr Hagal, the Hail of the Thunder God》, I would like you to at least maintain the minimum dignity and authority befitting that position. Otherwise, the other high-ranking executives will find an opening to exploit』

Alkalea clicked her tongue sharply at Galdabroeg, who spoke with a faintly bitter smile.

“Listen to yourself. You’re the one who got your hands on 《Fafnir》 and forced those old men to bow their balding heads, right? I seriously doubt those guys have the guts to complain about us.”

Galdabroeg let out another low chuckle.

“Honestly, what a spineless bunch. They can’t even lift their heads against a wounded Shinigami who can’t move from inside a coffin.”

『That is simply how great the power of 《Fafnir》 is』

“The relic of the old world, 《Fafnir》, huh. It lets you obtain the power of a dragon, right?”

『Indeed. The power of a dragon that can generate and wield spiritual energy without limit』

“Hah. I’ll pass on a power that you can’t come back from.”

Having said that decisively, Alkalea stepped closer to the coffin.

“More importantly…”

She glared at the golden mask.

“Why did you assign this mission to Raifan, Raifan Pignaut?”

At the tone that didn’t even try to hide her irritation, Galdabroeg gave a wry smile.

『Are you dissatisfied with the Fourth Rank, the lowest in the hierarchy, Raifan?』

“Of course I am. What can that weak, half-man half-woman possibly do?”

『Fu, fuhahahahahaha. From my perspective, the both of you look like neither man nor woman』

Just as Galdabroeg said, Alkalea, with her large frame and well-trained muscles, would look nothing more than a big man if judged by silhouette alone. That said, upon seeing her face, though it carried a sharp and resolute expression, her features were unexpectedly well-proportioned, making it immediately clear that she was a woman.

“Don’t try to deflect. The《Irregular》you predicted is an existence that surpasses even a Singular One who already possesses the spiritual energy of ten thousand people, something that hardly ever appears to begin with, right?”

『Correct. We Shinigami cannot generate spiritual energy. For us, who can only steal spiritual energy from humans, the power of the《Irregular》is indispensable for revolutionizing this world』

“Yeah, I know. I don’t really care about this so-called Shinigami contract or whatever, but our goal, 《Týr Hagal, the Hail of the Thunder God》, is to tear down the current system where we grovel to humans to receive spiritual energy, and instead rule over them and squeeze that energy out ourselves. That’s exactly why I’m uneasy about entrusting such an important mission, finding that kind of existence, to Raifan. Listen, what I’m concerned about is…”

『Raifan’s change, isn’t it』

Galdabroeg cut in before Alkalea could finish.

“…Tch… if you already know, then why? Ever since Raifan lost to Kaga Ryousuke, he’s gotten strangely soft and weak.”

『You think she might be swayed by emotion?』

“Yeah, that’s right. You can say he’s dressed like a man all you want, but that’s just something he’s hiding behind with his clothes. Inside, she’s a woman. And still a young one at that.”

『Unlike you, who has trained your body beyond that of a man. Is that what you mean?』

At Galdabroeg’s words, Alkalea answered briefly, 『Exactly』.

『Hmm. However, as you should know from the fact that the previous head of the Pignaut family, a powerful Shinigami whose name remains recorded in the Stanza, was also a high-ranking executive of 《Týr Hagal, the Hail of the Thunder God》, their lineage is one that has supported 《Týr Hagal, the Hail of the Thunder God》 for generations. It is difficult to imagine that Raifan, as the current head of that house, would abandon our ideals and turn traitor』

“Stanza, huh. That honorary title granted only to powerful Shinigami, up to a hundred of them, right?”

『Yes. Each rank can only be granted to six individuals. However, since the names remain even after death, there are hardly any vacancies left now. It is a rare title. At present, only a handful of Shinigami who are still alive possess a Stanza』

“Hah. Are you bragging about being in the Sixty-Ninth Stanza?”

Alkalea shrugged her shoulders.

『I would prefer you not take it that way. I am simply saying that it is hard to believe that the successor of the previous head, who sided with us, 《Týr Hagal, the Hail of the Thunder God》, in our attempt to reconstruct the current Shinigami world despite having been granted such a rare Stanza, would betray us』

“Who knows.”

『In the first place, with your appearance, infiltrating Momozono Academy would make you stand out far too much. Raifan is the more suitable choice』

“…Well, it’s true that me playing human student would be pushing it.”

From a human perspective, Alkalea’s appearance would place her in her late twenties. The sight of someone like her wearing a uniform and sitting in a classroom would look like cosplay and cause all sorts of problems.

『Hmm. However, it might not be a bad idea to place a monitor』

“What do you mean?”

『This mission has been entrusted to Raifan. As such, unless she fails, we will leave it to her. However, at the same time, we should keep in mind the possibility that she may turn traitor』

“So you want surveillance, huh. But something like that could just be left to the underlings, right?”

Alkalea shrugged again, clearly uninterested.

『No. Without sufficient strength, they would not be able to operate』

“Why not?”

『At present, the Shinigami around Momozono Academy include Lisara Restall, as well as first-class Shinigami and those with comparable power. It would be difficult for mere underlings. And Kaga Ryousuke is there as well』

When he spoke Ryousuke’s name, Galdabroeg’s voice lowered slightly. However, Alkalea did not notice the change at all.

“Kaga Ryousuke, huh. The human who awakened 《Broken Sword Gram》, one of the 《Five Relics of the Old World》 just like 《Fafnir》, drove you back multiple times, and in the end inflicted wounds so severe you ended up stuck inside a coffin like this. But he had the source that awakened 《Gram》, 《Fafnir》, taken from him by you, so now he’s just an ordinary human, right?”

『It seems the Restall family has analyzed that the spiritual energy generated by《Fafnir》is still being accumulated』

“Hoh. If that’s the case, then he might be a bit tough after all.”

『…………Well, no matter. Alkalea』

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You want me to take on that monitoring role, right?”

Alkalea went ban! as she slammed her fist into her palm.

『That makes things easy. Will you take any subordinates?』

“No need. Besides, with the fights against those bastards wagging their tails at humans, 《Týr Hagal, the Hail of the Thunder God》 is short on manpower, right?”

『That helps』

“Then this Third Rank of the 《Four Lightning Axes》, Alkalea Raygil-sama, will head to the human world for the first time in a while. I’m looking forward to getting a look at this so-called Kaga Ryousuke.”

With a swift turn, Alkalea spun on her heel and left the room, a delighted, ferocious grin spreading across her face. Leaving behind Galdabroeg, who chuckled to himself alone.

『Fufufu…… I look forward to the day that chest awakens』