join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr
Wildfires usually refer to uncontrollable fires that occur in mountains and forests.
Typical wildfires are often caused by a human cigarette butt, or a lightning strike that happens to hit a tree, triggered by such coincidences. Although the spread rate becomes very fierce once the fire accumulates to a certain extent—otherwise, military strategy wouldn't have the saying 'invasion like fire'—it still takes a considerable amount of time for it to slowly ignite from small sparks.
"So, a fire that ignites the entire mountain at once definitely isn't a normal wildfire!"
Nukumizu Kazuhiko, who was not far from the mountain trail entrance at the foot of the mountain, looked at the sudden raging fire around him and felt like he was about to become Boiling Water Kazuhiko.
However, after running a few steps, he felt something was slightly off.
The surrounding fires were blazing, and although he could indeed feel the heat waves rushing towards him, it didn't seem to be that hot... Rather, it was too mild. Even the thick smoke and the suffocating feeling caused by the consumption of a large amount of air, which should have accompanied the fire, were absent.
Not only that, through the firelight, he could see the trees that should have been ignited, but neither their leaves nor branches showed any signs of being charred, as if this fire was burning not the trees themselves, but something else…
Of course, even so, Nukumizu Kazuhiko had no intention of touching this bizarre flame.
"No matter what happens, don't look back... Is that what they meant? The scale is too grand. So how did mages hide from the past until modern society without being discovered...?"
Nukumizu Kazuhiko muttered to himself, as if to dispel the worries in his heart, diverting his attention.
Suddenly, the golem Snake, which had been obediently staying in his shoulder bag, drilled out of it and swam towards the mountain with extremely swift movements.
"Oh no!"
Nukumizu Kazuhiko instinctively reached out to grab it, but obviously failed to catch it, only watching helplessly as it slipped away.
He had to quickly get Napoleon back.
He hesitated for a moment before making a decision.
After all, there was still a pink-haired girl in the Snake's belly. If the Snake was cooked, God knew what would happen to the child still inside it—Nukumizu Kazuhiko once read in a novel that there was a Chinese dish called "Pao Tun," which seemed to involve stuffing other ingredients into a processed suckling pig's belly. After the pig was roasted into a crispy-skinned suckling pig, the ingredients inside would also be fully cooked. It was said to be tender and juicy while also having the unique meaty aroma of pork fat, and in ancient times, it was called one of the Eight Treasures.
"I don't want to see that dish anywhere other than Yokohama Chinatown..."
However, after running for a while following Napoleon, Nukumizu Kazuhiko felt something was wrong.
He had been worried that with the fires everywhere and Napoleon's slender, small body, he might lose track of it if he wasn't careful. But in reality, its movement speed wasn't fast, and it even deliberately stopped for a while in some complex terrains as if waiting for him.
Could it be that this guy was intentionally leading him somewhere?
With such suspicion, Nukumizu Kazuhiko hesitated for a moment before following along.
After all, this guy was Yuigahama's familiar, so it shouldn't harm him, right?
"This is... the area affected by the landslide?"
Passing a small, sloping mud-and-rock platform, Nukumizu Kazuhiko looked somewhat surprised as the little Snake Napoleon tried to reach the other side of the broken mountain path with its head like a caterpillar: "You want to go over there?"
He carefully picked up Napoleon, put it back into his bag, then retreated a short distance for a running start, and jumped forcefully onto the not-too-distant platform on the opposite side.
"I must be crazy..."
Nukumizu Kazuhiko mumbled, looking around, and found that apart from the broken mountain path, there seemed to be nothing special: "Forget it, let's just go back quickly."
"If you could give me a hand before that, that would be great."
Suddenly, a muffled voice came from his feet.
Nukumizu Kazuhiko was startled, and then he saw what appeared to be some cloth sticking out of the mud beneath his feet.
Could someone be buried alive?
Nukumizu Kazuhiko quickly dug with force, but only dug out a hiking backpack.
There was no one else present.
"Hallucination?"
The young man blinked, thinking he might be too stressed.
"Of course not, open the bag and look."
The voice sounded again.
Nukumizu Kazuhiko unzipped it, and then a worn-looking pointed wizard hat popped out.
"Oh, fresh air, how precious... though I don't need to breathe!"
The hat cried out emotionally.
"You are the Sorting Hat?"
Nukumizu Kazuhiko remembered the hat shouting Hufflepuff on his sister's head: "So, this is Asakura-kun's backpack?"
"There's nothing inside except that guy's boxer briefs... Hey, kid, put me on your head, we need to get out of here quickly."
Nukumizu Kazuhiko hesitated for a moment, but still put the hat on as instructed.
The instant he did, he felt his mind clear up considerably, but the Sorting Hat was still whispering in his ear.
"When I was buried in the dirt, I thought, if someone could save me..."
"You'd grant him three wishes?"
"Don't expect anything from a hat, I can't even scratch myself."
The Sorting Hat said: "But answering some questions is fine."
"What's with these Heavenly Flames on the mountain?"
Nukumizu Kazuhiko slung Asakura's hiking backpack over his shoulder and asked as he walked.
"It's that guy's Magic, a flame that, regardless of past or future, burns away all 'oddities' on the entire mountain, yet doesn't harm mundane things... It was already a fire harder to control than Fiendfyre, and with this quantity... Hmph, I'm afraid he's not having an easy time of it either."
The Sorting Hat grumbled.
"Huh, in that case, aren't you and Napoleon also in great danger?"
Nukumizu Kazuhiko said in surprise.
"I am the greatest masterpiece among the magical creations forged by those four legendary figures! Don't compare me to mere oddities!"
The hat said angrily, then added somewhat vaguely: "As for that little Snake... he probably turned off friendly fire."
"Friendly fire..."
Nukumizu Kazuhiko felt that this term, spoken by a hat full of mysterious magical aura, was a bit out of place: "So what do we do now?"
"Go find that guy."
The Sorting Hat replied grumpily.
"But Asakura-kun told me not to go no matter what happens."
Nukumizu Kazuhiko said, troubled.
"You going there by yourself would indeed only cause trouble, but with me, it's fine."
The Sorting Hat urged in a deep voice: "Rather, if we don't hurry, there will be trouble."
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr