It was already 8 p.m., daytime in the everyday world. As expected, Kuroneko and Dekomori had logged off to go to school.
During this time, Shaka had been crafting magical tools to complement his [Descendant] magic. The effects of [Mysterious Aspiration] were broad, with Curses being its most common application.
"This will need Mamenosuke's cooperation. This cursed aggregate carries quite a few effects, hypnosis, paralysis, weakness, poisoning… it's a mixed curse with wide-ranging abilities."
Shaka's goal was to extract and refine specific curses for his own use. First, he would weaken the [Paralysis Curse] and harmonize it with the [Hypnotic Curse], then enchant the combination onto the Astraea Familia crests.
The intended effect was simple: a painless state. It would put wearers into mild anesthesia and hypnosis, allowing them to maintain mobility while reducing pain from injuries.
After two hours of work, Shaka studied the eight completed crests thoughtfully:
"Pain is linked to touch, reducing pain will also dull tactile sensitivity."
He chuckled to himself: "But how much fighting power do Kuroneko and Dekomori have right now anyway? Even if they did, they're not like seasoned adventurers, they rely mostly on brute strength."
Next came modifying the helmets. Shaka pulled out his phone and contacted "Agasa General Store," urging them to expedite his order.
Speaking of Agasa's Shop, Shaka's home was three rows away from Professor Agasa's making him a neighbor of Detective Conan. They'd become acquainted after frequent explosions from the professor's experiments. Shaka had even suggested opening the online store; while Agasa's inventions seemed impractical at times, they were interesting enough to sell well.
The customized helmets had a special detection function: when strong mental stimulation pushed brainwaves to a certain threshold, it would forcibly block the magical link between worlds,essentially causing a forced logout, or "network interruption."
This was to protect younger players from disturbing content, and to prevent issues like mental hypnosis or stunning. The magic components were handled by Shaka himself; once the alarm threshold was triggered, interrupting the magic was straightforward. It was a simple but effective safety measure.
With these preparations done and the order expedited, Shaka planned to invite new members to the Familia once circumstances allowed.
At the same time…
Outside Swordsmith City's gates, a merchant wearing gold-rimmed glasses stumbled toward the closed gates, pounding frantically on them with his briefcase in hand.
"Who's there?" a guard called from above.
"I'm from the Albera Chamber of Commerce!"
Baker gasped for breath, his face pale with terror: "I saw a massive horde of monsters gathering ten kilometers away! There are over a thousand of them and more are joining every minute!"
"What?!" The guards inside were stunned.
"Let me in! Please I don't want to die out here!"
After confirming he posed no immediate threat, the guards lowered a basket from the wall. Baker scrambled inside and was quickly let into the city.
The garrison commander arrived promptly to hear his report.
"Tell us everything you know."
Baker's lips were chapped. He swallowed hard: "May I have some water first?"
"Tch, merchants," the sergeant muttered under his breath, signaling a soldier to fetch water.
Once refreshed, Baker began: "I was on my way back to Orario yesterday when a large-scale monster attack ambushed us. My guards… they're all gone."
He paused, his voice trembling: "I'd hired a Level 3 adventurer from Orario to protect me. Even he was overwhelmed by the horde."
"Every village and person along the way was torn apart. I barely escaped with my life—and lost all my goods in the process."
Tears streamed down his face as he broke into sobs.
The captain knew this was serious if a Level 3 adventurer had fallen, the monsters were far beyond what regular guards could handle.
"Men tie him up and lock him in a cell."
Baker froze in shock: "What?! Why are you locking me up?!"
He struggled, but the guards easily restrained him, binding his hands behind his back.
The sergeant sneered: "If you're lying about something this big, we'll hold you accountable. Now search him for anything suspicious."
Soldiers seized his briefcase.
"No! You can't do that that's all I have left!" Baker's face went ashen.
The sergeant opened the case and pulled out a bundle of jet-black leather, unfolding it to reveal gleaming black scales:
"What's this?"
Baker's voice wavered: "This is Cadmus's wing membrane. It's an extremely rare item I acquired in Orario worth tens of millions of Valis. It's my most valuable possession, I never go anywhere without it."
When asked what Cadmus was, he explained:
"Cadmus is an elite dragon-type monster found in the deep levels of the Dungeon. Its hide is used for high-grade armor and medicinal ingredients, they say wearing gear made from its wing membrane can extend life."
His eyes were fixed on the item as he spoke.
"Hmph." The sergeant tossed the wing membrane back to him: "Stop staring I'm not interested in your fortune. Do you even know where you are? This is Swordsmith City we're not short of coin or rare materials."
He turned to his men: "Take him away and keep a close eye on him. If anything goes wrong, you'll answer for it."
The next day…
Shaka had just gotten up when guests arrived at the Astraea Familia's headquarters in Swordsmith City. The garrison captain reported the information confirmed overnight:
"A massive horde of magical beasts is heading for the city. We conservatively estimate over 2,000 and their strength is still unknown."
Shaka's eyes widened in shock: "2,000?"
That was far more than he'd anticipated!
The captain nodded grimly: "We need reinforcements. Unconfirmed reports say a Level 3 adventurer already fell to the tide."
Astraea remained calm: "We're preparing to head to the School District to request assistance. Until help arrives, hold the walls at all costs."
"The School District?" The sergeant's face lit up with hope.
"Yes, we leave today. Focus on your defenses and weather this initial crisis."
Lulune stepped forward, hands on her hips: "I'll help too. You know what they call me the 'Mud Dog' of the Hermes Familia."
The sergeant recognized her reputation and eagerly pulled her aside to help plan defenses.
Shaka contacted Kuroneko and Dekomori, who'd logged back in, and informed them they'd be heading to the School District as planned.
He turned to Cecil with a serious expression: "I'm leaving Kuroneko and Dekomori in your care. But if unavoidable danger arises promise me you'll prioritize your own safety first."
"How could you say that?!"
"Promise me!" Shaka emphasized firmly.
He carefully explained that Kuroneko and Dekomori death would mean returning to their world, while Cecil's death would be permanent. After hearing the full explanation, Cecil was shocked but finally understood.
"Okay… I promise you." She blushed and looked down shyly.
Shaka also instructed Kuroneko and Dekomori to protect Cecil with Mamenosuke on their side, their fighting strength was quite strong.
Just as they were about to depart, a heart-wrenching cry echoed from the kitchen:
"all the offerings I made for myself are gone!!!!" Dekomori wailed, staring at the empty shelves where her favorite snacks had been.