That's why she became anxious when she learned her friend hadn't come to school.
The homeroom teacher said she was sick, but the other students in the class said otherwise. Even when she called, her parents were vague and unclear, not revealing any specific details.
Recalling the child abduction incidents in Fuyuki City, Tōsaka Rin clearly knew that something bad had happened... She couldn't ask her father for help; it was a crucial time in the war, and she didn't want to bother him. However, she also couldn't just stand by and ignore her friend.
'I'm a magus too! I can definitely do it!' She firmly encouraged herself... 'There's nothing I could do about Sakura's situation, but I can definitely do something about this...'
Putting her mother's admonitions aside, she easily snuck out of the house and headed towards Fuyuki City, holding the magical energy compass her father had given her for her birthday. It could sense the flow of magical energy and tell her which direction to go.
She brought with her the crystal shards she had made, which stored magical energy, serving as a self-defense tool in critical moments.
She firmly believed that she would succeed!
Clutching the change in her hand, she boarded the bus to Fuyuki City—Fuyuki City was very close to here... But she didn't know that terrifying behemoths lurked in the darkness...
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Tōsaka Rin searched alone in Fuyuki City, occasionally glancing at the magical energy compass in her hand.
Due to the recent surge in cases, pedestrians were rarely seen in Fuyuki City at night, and children were almost nonexistent... "It seems a bit different here..." Rin hugged herself, looking left and right in the dark alley.
Suddenly, the magical energy compass spun rapidly, and Rin watched it in surprise.
"What is this? I've never seen this before."
Clutching the compass, there was no confusion on her young face.
"I will definitely find Kotone!" The magical energy compass clearly showed Rin the flow of magical energy nearby.
Tōsaka Rin quickly moved through the alley. The spinning of the magical energy compass told her that the source of the magical energy was nearby.
Only her footsteps echoed in the silent alley, which startled her. After thinking for a moment, Rin slowed down, carefully checking around each corner. Though anxious, she wasn't reckless.
"Huh, what's that?" Deep in the alley, a young man wearing a strange bracelet walked by, holding a child's hand.
"Taking a child out at night?" Tōsaka Rin was puzzled. Even she knew that due to the recent abduction incidents, very few children were out at night... The compass suddenly spun rapidly, pointing directly at the young man.
Looking at the compass and the disappearing back of the young man, Rin clenched her fists and still followed him.
For some reason, more and more children followed the young man, and he walked faster and faster.
Tōsaka Rin dared not get too close, only using the direction of the compass, panting as she ran through this secluded corner.
Upon reaching an abandoned underground bar, the magical energy compass suddenly spun wildly as if derailed! This sudden change startled her, but it also let her know that this was the destination.
Although she was the heir to a magus family, she was still just a child. Tōsaka Rin hesitated for a long time at the entrance, but thinking of her classmate, she still walked in without hesitation.
The stairs leading to the basement were messy, with discarded wine bottles, torn papers, and pervasive dust, clearly indicating the desolation of the place.
'It really looks like a criminal's lair,' Tōsaka Rin thought, carefully avoiding the trash on the ground and moving forward in the dark.
The end was a wooden door. Tōsaka Rin gently pushed it open, but in the silent environment, the creaking sound of the wooden door opening was so obvious... "Oh, are you here to help?" A young man's voice suddenly rang in Tōsaka Rin's ear.
"Ah—!!!!" The sudden voice startled her into a scream.
"It's right to bring more people," the young man said with a strange tone and a smile, looking at her intently.
"Ah, a prey actually delivered herself to my doorstep, this is, too cool!" With an excited tone, Uryū Ryūnosuke reached out his sinful hand.
However, a burst of magical energy blocked him... Tōsaka Rin used this gap to quickly run away.
"Hmm? What was that?" Uryū Ryūnosuke said in confusion. However, this did not stop him from continuing his actions.
"Don't run, be a good girl~" With the playful tone of a cat toying with a mouse, Uryū Ryūnosuke walked towards Rin. The prey's resistance only excited him more.
"Damn it!" While gnashing her teeth and scrambling, Tōsaka Rin threw miscellaneous items on the ground, preventing Uryū Ryūnosuke from approaching. The direction of the magical energy compass clearly pointed to his wristguard. It was then that Tōsaka Rin could carefully examine the bracelet—it was a magical item.
'Is it because of that bracelet!' Thinking of the dazed expressions of the children caught by Uryū Ryūnosuke, Tōsaka Rin became even more determined.
'...I must destroy it!'
"Oh dear, not running anymore?" Uryū Ryūnosuke cornered Tōsaka Rin and extended his right hand.
"Then just come with me obediently! Hehe!" As if the prey was already in his grasp, Uryū Ryūnosuke felt a long-lost excitement.
Snap! But Tōsaka Rin actively grabbed his wrist.
"Huh?" Uryū Ryūnosuke was surprised for a moment, then laughed: "You really are here to help me, ah haha."
He waited, waiting for the bracelet's effect to take hold, and then Tōsaka Rin would lose her will, just like those children... But the result was beyond his expectation. Tōsaka Rin was indeed bewildered, but only for an instant. At the same time, Uryū Ryūnosuke felt as if something was being injected into his bracelet.
He was not a magus, only having some magical circuits remaining due to his bloodline. If a true magus were here, they would surely discover that Tōsaka Rin was injecting magical energy into the bracelet...
"Ugh..." Biting her lip, Tōsaka Rin persisted. Within her small body, there was an utterly disproportionate amount of magical energy.
Crash... The crisp sound of glass shattering came, as the bracelet's magical energy capacity reached its limit and broke... "Ah!" The shattering of the bracelet caused a certain amount of magical energy backlash, making Uryū Ryūnosuke stumble back a few steps.
The children who had been bewildered by the bracelet also woke up at the same time... "Huh, where is this?" The frightened shouts of children came from all around.
"...Is that, Rin?!" Kotone was also among the children. Her sudden awakening left her at a loss, but then she suddenly saw a familiar face... Tōsaka Rin heard the call and turned to look, "Kotone!" she shouted excitedly, running towards Kotone.
Helping Kotone up from the ground, Tōsaka Rin saw the nearby children still dazed and urgently shouted: "Run, get out of here!"
This shout finally brought these children back to their senses, and they finally understood their situation.
"Wah!" Amidst a flurry of shouts, the children scattered and ran out of the underground bar.
"Kotone, let's go quickly too!" Tōsaka Rin anxiously said to Kotone beside her.
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(TL : More Chapters @patreon.com/c/Gooberilla)