After releasing the handshake, Nobu asked again in a probing tone.
"But, my Master, are these truly the only members of your group? Is there no one else?" she asked.
"No, there's still one more," Ritsuka replied calmly. "He'll appear shortly."
Just as Ritsuka finished speaking, the space beside them distorted. A pitch-black rift opened, spewing out an elderly man dressed in noble attire—elegant yet mysterious. The figure stepped forward, his hand reaching out as if to pat Ritsuka on the shoulder.
"Hello, my disciple. How have you been? So the little savage finally didn't—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a white blur shot out from the torn pocket of Ritsuka's battered clothes.
Boom!
"Guh!"
The old man—Zelretch—was kicked squarely in the stomach and sent stumbling backward.
The white blur landed smoothly in front of Ritsuka, standing firmly on all fours. It hissed sharply, taking a defensive stance as if shielding Ritsuka from the old magus.
"Fou?!" Ritsuka exclaimed in shock as he saw the small creature leap out of his pocket.
"Fou! Fou!" Fou barked fiercely at Zelretch, as if chasing him away.
"Damn it! You savage beast… You even secretly followed Ritsuka here? Do you like him that much?" Zelretch grumbled, rubbing his aching stomach.
Ritsuka quickly rushed over, lifted Fou up, and hugged him tightly.
"It's okay, Fou. Zelretch won't do anything to me. He's my teacher now. So calm down," Ritsuka soothed gently.
Fou froze. His eyes widened in shock at Ritsuka's words, but little by little, the tension left his body.
Meanwhile, Nobu stared at Zelretch warily. Her instincts as a Heroic Spirit sensed something abnormal.
"Master… could it be that this old man isn't human?" she whispered to Ritsuka.
Ritsuka nodded, then introduced him.
"Allow me to introduce him. This is my teacher—Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, the wielder of the Second Magic."
Nobu's eyes widened slightly, but she quickly composed herself.
"Oh… I never expected to meet someone capable of using Kaleidoscope in person. This just keeps getting more interesting,"
she murmured, a thin grin forming on her lips.
Zelretch chuckled.
"Well, it's rare for a Heroic Spirit to recognize the Second Magic right away."
"Well, I am a businesswoman, and my era isn't all that far removed from yours," Nobu replied casually. "So of course I know a thing or two about it. I've also conducted some… 'research.'"
Suddenly, L's voice cut into the conversation.
"Now then, Ritsuka… could you explain who Zelretch really is? He's clearly not an ordinary vampire. And… what exactly is that creature?" L asked, pointing at Fou.
Fou flinched. He glared sharply at L, then looked up at Ritsuka. Their eyes met. Ritsuka smiled—but that smile made cold sweat run down Fou's furry face.
Fou struggled, trying to break free, but Ritsuka's grip only tightened.
"Fou… no. That isn't your real name, is it?" Ritsuka said, still smiling, but his tone turned serious as he spoke a single name.
"Cath Palug."
Instantly, Fou screamed in panic.
"Fouuu!!!"
---
"Wow… I never imagined you held such an important position in your world, Ritsuka. Or should I call you 'Old Man' now?" Koko joked after hearing Ritsuka's long explanation.
"And this creature… turns out it's terrifying as well," Koko added, staring at Fou, who had gone limp in Ritsuka's firm grasp.
Ritsuka gently patted Fou's head.
"It's okay, Fou. You can act like you always do. Even if I know who you really are, you're still my friend."
Kagaya, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke. His voice was calm yet heavy.
"Your world is truly terrifying, Ritsuka. There are entities like Gaia, Alaya, and the Root. And from what Lord Zelretch said, it seems there are still many more threats."
L added thoughtfully, tapping his chin.
"Gaia from ancient Greek mythology as the embodiment of the Earth. Alaya—though conceptually different—resembles the idea of collective consciousness in Buddhism. And the Root… a rather striking concept, reminiscent of Yggdrasil in Norse mythology as the center of cosmology, though the actual system in your world is clearly very different."
"To put it simply," Koko raised her index finger and drew a circle in the air,
"Ritsuka's world is like one gigantic database of the Root. And Gaia and Alaya? Don't call them gods. They're more like automated security systems."
Koko let out a small, cold laugh.
"They don't have 'hearts' or 'individual consciousness.' They're massive antivirus programs installed to protect the server. The difference is that one is programmed to protect the 'Container'—the planet—and the other to protect the 'Users'—humanity. Pure systems. Pure input-output calculations. No emotion, no negotiation. Terrifying… but incredibly efficient."
"An interesting analogy, Koko," Kagaya replied gently. "However, if I may add… their relationship is more tragic than a simple system failure."
Kagaya's grip on Amane's hand tightened slightly.
"Gaia is a 'Mother' who wishes to kill her children—humans—because we are seen as poison harming her body. Meanwhile, Alaya is the will of us, the children, to continue surviving, even if it means opposing our Mother."
Kagaya then directed his blind gaze—yet one that seemed to see everything—toward the small white creature.
"And this little one… is a beautiful irony. He was created by Gaia as humanity's executioner, the ultimate weapon meant to wipe us out. Yet look at him now… the Predator has chosen to protect his prey."
Hearing those words, Fou fell silent. Ritsuka slowly loosened his grip and placed him on the floor.
Without hesitation, Fou scampered toward Kagaya. He stopped briefly, looked up at the leader of the Demon Slayers, then began climbing onto his body.
Amane gasped softly.
"Wait, you mustn't do that to Oyakata-sama—"
She reached out to grab Fou, but Kagaya gently stopped her.
"It's all right, Amane," he said.
Kagaya lifted his hand to his chest slightly. Fou curled up comfortably there, like a squirrel that had found the safest nest in the world. Kagaya gently stroked his head.
"It seems he's extremely sensitive to good and evil, isn't he, Ritsuka?" Kagaya asked with a smile.
Ritsuka stepped closer and nodded.
"Yes. Fou is very sensitive to emotions and intent. I'm not surprised he feels so comfortable with you, Lord Kagaya."
"Tch. He's just a rodent whose only talents are eating and sleeping," Zelretch scoffed, ruining the atmosphere.
"You don't need to get so worked up, Zelretch. Remember your age," Nobu snapped sharply, then changed the subject.
"But I never expected someone like you to take my Master as a disciple. Did you see something special in him besides the excellent quality of his Magic Circuits?"
Zelretch raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I took Ritsuka as my disciple because he's no longer bound by the fate of that world," he replied, then paused.
"Wait… what do you mean by 'excellent magical quality'?"
"Huh? You didn't notice?" Nobu looked confused. "My Master has forty Magic Circuits, and their quality is extremely high."
"Forty?!" Zelretch's eyes went wide. "Wasn't it only nine? And their quality should've been terrible!"
"Hah?! You're the Wizard Marshal—the most famous mage in the Association—and you mess up something that basic? Even now, his circuits—"
Nobu stopped mid-sentence. She realized the mana flowing from her Master was far more intense than before. Horror crossed her face.
"M-Master… what's happening to your circuits? Why is your mana flow increasing even now?!" Nobu cried out.
Zelretch also stared at Ritsuka, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Wait… fifty?! What's going on?! Just a moment ago, I clearly sensed only nine!"
Zelretch stepped forward and grabbed Ritsuka's shoulders.
"Ritsuka, answer me! Did you do something? Your circuit count is increasing rapidly! I've rarely seen anything like this—especially in the modern era!"
Kagaya felt Fou in his arms grow restless and angry, as if about to leap at Zelretch again, but he calmed him with gentle strokes.
"Zelretch, what's going on? Is something bad happening to Ritsuka's body?" Kagaya asked anxiously.
"Ritsuka's Magic Circuits are increasing drastically in both number and quality! That's not normal!" Zelretch exclaimed.
Koko thought for a moment, trying to process the information.
"If I remember correctly from your explanation… Magic Circuits are like a pseudo-nervous system vital to a Magus, right? They convert Life Force into magical energy—Mana—and act as the pathway to 'run' magecraft. Like cables in a computer?"
"Yes! Exactly!" Zelretch snapped.
"Then what's the problem? Isn't it a good thing if a Magus can increase their Magic Circuits?" L asked critically.
"The problem is—it's almost impossible!" Zelretch shot back.
"Magi can improve quality, but that takes years of training or long bloodlines. The only fast method involves extremely painful and dangerous transplant surgery. Ritsuka, answer me honestly! Did you undergo illegal surgery?!"
"No, Sensei. I didn't undergo any surgery," Ritsuka replied calmly.
"Then why do they keep increasing?!" Zelretch demanded.
"As for that…"
Ritsuka pointed above his head. Slowly, the shadow of an ancient wheel with eight spokes appeared, floating and rotating gently above him.
Zelretch stared at it.
"A Dharma Wheel…?"
"I don't know why either," Ritsuka explained. "But every time this wheel turns, my strength increases. And not just that—my circuits increase in both number and quality. It all happens automatically whenever I push my circuits to their limit."
"Huh?" Nobu gawked. "So you're saying… this thing is what turned your circuits into something monstrous? What exactly is it?"
"I don't know either, Nobu," Ritsuka replied with a shrug.
Suddenly, a familiar cheerful laugh echoed from behind them, cutting through the confusion.
"Hahahaha! You finally noticed it, Ritsuka! That is my gift to you! Instead of letting you all stay confused, let me explain!"