Volume 9 Chapter 13 Alternate Perspective – A Certain Group of the Martial God Family
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
To the east of the Imperial Capital lies the second-largest lake in this country.
It serves as a reservoir supplying water to the farmlands spreading east of the metropolitan area.
The Martial God Family’s headquarters sits to the southeast of that lake.
In a corner of the vast grounds owned by the Martial God Family, two sorcerers returned to a modest Japanese-style house.
The female sorcerer leading the way moved to insert her key into the door, noticed something, pocketed the key silently, and slid the door open. As the two sorcerers passed through the entrance in turn, a voice called out from the depths of the house.
”Welcome back~”
”I have returned.”
A hallway stretched straight from the entrance. A sliding door cracked open, a girl’s face peeked out to greet the two, then immediately withdrew. The one who replied was the female sorcerer who had taken off her shoes first.
”You’re here, Kanoko?”
”Guess so.”
The male sorcerer, taking off his shoes next, called out.
”Not just me~”
”Figured as much.”
Three pairs of shoes lined the entrance when they returned.
One was Kanoko’s. The other two belonged to someone else.
”Hibiki’s in a snit~”
Hearing Kanoko’s teasing voice drifting from inside the room, the female sorcerer—Kunai Kanade—slid the fusuma open. The male sorcerer, Takekami Yurai, ducked through the doorway she’d opened with relaxed movements and entered the living room.
A single kotatsu sat at the center of the ten-tatami living room.
Despite it being midsummer, a kotatsu was set up in the air-conditioned room, and three girls sat around it.
”Yurai, welcome back.”
The girl with a Mekakure-style short bob, munching on a manju at the entrance, paused her chewing to greet him. Yurai returned a wry smile.
”I’m back. Miyako, thanks for holding the fort.”
”Not like I did much.”
The souvenir manju should have been stored on the kitchen shelf, but they’d been discovered and already opened. Since the plan was for the whole group to eat them together, it wasn’t a problem.
The ones gathered here were Yurai’s group members.
Miyako Ino, who spoke up first upon their entry, held rank one in the group. She was the Lead Witch.
”Yurai, I didn’t hear Kanade-neesan was coming along?”
”Neither did I. Thought it was supposed to be a secret. Figured Hibiki must’ve told Kanade.”
”That’s not it. Well… whatever. Welcome back anyway.”
”I’m back.”
A sigh escaped the one welcoming them—Kunai Hibiki. Rank three in the group. As the shared surname indicated, she was Kanade’s relative—her younger sister, to be precise. Not twins, though.
”Sorry, Hibiki-chan. But I think I should go wherever Yuu-kun goes.”
”I said it was a safe place. The 13th District, you know? Sister, don’t you trust me?”
”Now, now, don’t be mad. There, there~”
”Cut it out!”
The younger sister brushed aside her older sister, who had circled around to poke her puffed cheeks with fingertips, looking exasperated.
Judging by the situation, Hibiki had been the one handling the remaining members’ coordination and adjustments, plus covering for Kanade’s unauthorized absence. Miyako, as the leader, didn’t sweat the small stuff. Kanade, the vice-leader, was exactly as she appeared. Hibiki’s troubles never ended. Well, business as usual.
Yurai gave a wry smile and stretched his legs under the open side of the kotatsu.
”So what did you do, volunteering as an envoy to the 13th District?”
Kanoko Katabami, rank four in the group, held out a manju. Yurai accepted it and popped it in his mouth.
”Just went to see a friend.”
”Rare. For Yurai to go out of his way to check on a sorcerer. Kind of curious.”
”You’ll find out soon enough.”
”?? What d’you mean?”
Kanoko tilted her head. The one who answered was Kanade.
”We’re going back to the 13th District within the year. The whole group together.”
”Again, deciding things on your own…!”
”Sorry, but it’s my call. No complaints allowed.”
Hibiki rose halfway in protest, but Yurai cut in instantly. Hibiki sat back down with a groan.
”Fine. At least tell me the schedule. I’ll coordinate. And the reason?”
”Schedule’s undecided. Think autumn, but we need to notify them first. Ultimately our convenience takes priority, so they can’t refuse.”
Hibiki cooled her head and fixed Yurai with a serious look. Yurai answered.
”Information exchange and a meet-and-greet.”
Hibiki asked again.
”What information?”
”About the Ancient Land Deity. Seems the guy got on the wrong side of the 13th District’s Ancient Land Deity, got barred from the dungeon.”
”What? What’d he do to make that happen?”
”Who knows? Being rejected by a dungeon because of an Ancient Land Deity… now that’s intriguing. Sounds fun, right?”
”Fun, huh…”
Hibiki didn’t quite get it. Miyako cut in from the side.
”Couldn’t you just send a letter?”
”Letter or phone would work, but I’d rather talk in person if possible.”
”Hmm…”
”It’s valuable intel from the Catfish Elder. Don’t want it leaking out.”
”Your real reason?”
”I want to fight him again.”
”Fair enough.”
Miyako smiled at the delighted-looking Yurai (the leader).
Miyako alone wasn’t the only one. The other three present had no intention of objecting to Yurai’s rare display of selfishness.
A return visit to the 13th District was decided.
Which meant the other reason mattered too. Hibiki spoke for the group.
”The meet-and-greet?”
”Between you lot and his group members.”
”Eh? Sounds like a hassle…”
”It’s to bring him into the fold. Eventually want a cooperative relationship with the 13th District.”
”Going big, huh.”
”That’s how much I expect from him.”
For Yurai, building a connection with Kuga who controlled the 13th District made befriending Tatemiya worthwhile just for that pipeline. Beyond that, his curiosity as a sorcerer remained insatiable.
”Their group—every member had a quirk or two.”
”Quirks like what?”
”All Plain-folk build. All skinnier than Kanade. About… Miyako’s build, I’d say.”
”Huh. Rare.”
Miyako had a Plain-folk build. Naturally, for a certain reason.
Hearing Yurai’s description, the members naturally assumed the same circumstances applied. Kanade denied it.
”No, it’s not that. Not the reason Hibiki-chan’s imagining.”
Hibiki bristled at her sister’s denial.
Kanoko followed up with a question for Kanade.
”Then what’s the reason?”
”A fetish.”
”Hah?”
”Plain-folk fetish. That’s it.”
”Seriously? He assembled a whole team of skinny Strong-Females (Shoji’s group members) just for a fetish, risking their lives in dungeons? Values fetish over life? Is he okay in the head?”
”Right? I thought he’d lost it too. But he was dead serious.”
Kanade’s bluntness drew involuntary laughter.
”People say sorcerers are strongest when they’ve got a screw loose, right?”
”That’s just something Yurai says. Never heard it from anyone else.”
Yurai ignored Miyako and added the necessary intel.
”Their leader aside, the Lead Witch and Strong-Females (Shoji’s group members) supporting her were quite the characters too. …Kanade, what’s your read?”
”Hmm… their two Lead Witches are pretty good. Even I can’t say I’d definitely win.”
”Matches my impression.”
Kanoko looked surprised at their agreement.
”For real? That good?”
”Compared to the two Lead Witches, the other three are a bit lacking. Ah, but there was an interesting kid too.”
”What d’you mean?”
”Someone who seemed to have the same Inherent Sorcery type as Miyako-chan.”
Kanade’s words drew Miyako’s reaction.
Yurai continued.
”That’s one reason I said we’d all go. Want to introduce that kid to Miyako. Might awaken something. Besides, combat experience against strong sorcerers will help later.”
”Got it.”
As Miyako answered, the entrance chime rang.
”Yees~ Who is it~?”
Kanade rose to answer, leaving the room.
The door opened immediately, and a girl entered.
”Wah! Cold!”
”Kotatsu’s open.”
”It’s midsummer, though…”
Complaining all the while, she shamelessly wormed her way next to Yurai. Rank five. Shime Shunna.
”Shunna, how’d it go?”
”Got what Yuu-kun asked for.”
She pulled six tickets from her eco-bag. Yurai received them, confirmed the designated date and time, and patted her head.
”Hehe~”
As Shunna beamed, Kanoko countered by lying sideways and resting her head on Yurai’s thigh. He wryly smiled and petted Kanoko’s head too.
”Yurai should reward me for properly holding down the fort.”
”Miyako didn’t do anything. If that counts, I’m first in line.”
Miyako and Hibiki started airing grievances.
Kanade shrewdly clung to Yurai’s back, securing her spot.
Yurai smiled wryly at the mounting pressure from all members, then herded everyone into the adjacent bedroom.
***
Yurai deepening ties with the Tatemiya estate—one of the Martial God Family’s branch families in the distant 13th District—was largely because Minoru was a friend. But not only that.
The Martial God Family ranked first-rate in Inherent Sorcery caliber, as sorcerers, and as dungeon explorers. Politically, however—in terms of authority and connections—they were extremely fragile. Their base lay at the eastern edge of the Imperial Capital. Information on events occurring in the capital’s center arrived a beat late. Meaning they always started a step behind.
Key political positions in this country were held by other powerful houses. The Martial God Family’s secured privileges were minimal. They struggled to improve the situation, but a deadlock was undeniable.
Refusing to accept gradual decline, the sorcerer clan set its sights on the now-burgeoning field of science and technology.
Attract powerful industry to their territory, build an industrial city, gather people, gather money.
As factories of various industries sprang up and began operating nationwide, the Martial God Family’s eastern Imperial Capital frontier successfully attracted a steel and heavy chemical complex centered on an artificial port.
The 13th District had built a similar complex a step earlier, already operational. From a regional revitalization standpoint, from the angle of obtaining advance intel, and for the sake of allying with higher-tier regions like the Imperial Capital and Old Capital’s centers, cooperation was not just good—it should be pursued actively.
An era where sorcerers could no longer survive without science had already begun in all its complexity.
Notes:
• T – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has recruited K and N from East Middle into his group.
• M – A first-year student at District 13 High School and the childhood friend of Anonymous Student 0006, described as an atavistic strong-female who looks plain but possesses significant power.
• A – A student from South Middle School described as an idol who has been recruited into R’s high school squad.
• K – A student from East Middle who followed N to National High School out of care, successfully remaining pure through N’s protection until a misunderstanding involving Anonymous Student 0008 led to her capitulation.
• N – A student from East Middle with an eccentric personality who entered National High School due to complex family circumstances and used herself as leverage to negotiate a protective agreement for K.
• Kanade – Female companion of Yurai. Chubby build. Affectionate and warm personality. Treats Yurai like a younger brother. Has a close history with Yurai. Uses older-sister speech patterns.
• Yurai – Member of the Bujin Head House. Wields Thunderclap Sorcery. Lean build. Wears sunglasses casually. Playful and confident demeanor. Shows maturity and restraint during sparring. Has a history with Kanade. Accepts affection from Kanade naturally.
• S – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has taken B from North Middle into his squad.
• R – A first-year student at District 13 High School who has successfully built a squad and added multiple girls, including M and A, into his group.
• Yuu – Minoru’s childhood friend and Yui’s twin, this Futami twin is a Mid-guard in Manaka’s group. Dressed in a striped swimsuit or Jirai-kei/gothic-lolita fashion, she underwent a character shift from soft and timid to bubbly with sharp commentary. A needle-using Shape-Proxy Sorcery user who teases Minoru, she motivated the Founding Strong-Females’ plan before being eaten by the Phantom.
• B – A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S’s group.
• Tatemiya – Tatemiya is the family name of Minoru, a pragmatic protagonist in a world with reversed beauty standards. He leads a strong-female harem with analytical detachment, treating interactions as transactions. Strained by Manaka abandoning Minoru, the family has tense ties with the Kugas. Associated with a symbolic residential gate, the name connects to Manaka’s father’s social circle.
• Kuga – Worn on Manaka and Marin’s garments to symbolize kinship, the Kuga family name carries heavy social weight and authority. This distant lineage, marking the farthest point from the narrator’s home, has a strained relationship with the Tatemiya family due to Minoru being abandoned by Manaka. A family member working as hotel staff also reports Anri’s visit to the sealed dungeon.
• Strong-Females – A social designation within the world’s hierarchy.
• Shoji – A serious, silver werewolf beastman and top 5th District sorcerer, he is also a male classmate in Minoru’s second-year class who greets others with informal energy. Wielding magic pistols, shock spells, and a spear, he led Ryota, Komoda, and Strong-Females through a dungeon. He manages complex ties with Kotoha and aims to rescue his relative Risa from a Shadow entity by tracking scents to feed her Hinoki.
• Minoru – The protagonist and narrator is a black-haired Demon reincarnated from Japan, standing 183cm with sharp eyes. Pragmatic yet internally hurt, this eldest Tatemiya son wrongly believed his childhood friends abandoned him. Serving as ‘master’ to a mixed female group, he uses inherent spatial manipulation sorcery to command a handgun and subjugated monsters like Pape in mid-guard combat.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply