Chapter 47: Take Down the Most Troublesome Enemy First

The feats of the Seer mage, who tirelessly works to foresee the future, are well known to all in Tokyo.

Not only has he predicted disasters and the emergence of monsters, but he has also foreseen unknown threats that were unimaginable in the pre-apocalyptic world.

Even when countermeasures were taken publicly, some events—like the mushroom pandemic—could not be entirely prevented.

There were also cases he failed to foresee, such as the Iruma mage coup and the landing of the great kaiju.

However, he has also successfully prevented many catastrophic events before they could unfold—events that could have been devastating, such as the rise of a murderous cult, wars between feuding witches, the formation of a colony of Class A monsters, and the autonomous uprising of the Pebble Witch’s golems.

Everyone living in Tokyo holds the Seer mage in high regard.

Yet, he alone truly understands everything he has accomplished.

Since the start of the new year, the Seer mage has been especially busy.

Though always overwhelmed with work, his recent efforts have included foresight for smooth operations of new currency issuance, the reopening of compulsory education, and the establishment of a trade economy zone.

However, what has troubled him the most are two major visible threats looming in the future.

One of them is the increasing number of Class A monsters harboring Black Gremlins.

This phenomenon was first observed during the Daidarabocchi subjugation and has only worsened with time.

Class A monsters that acquire time acceleration magic through Black Gremlins pose a serious danger. Even monsters that were previously easy to defeat become harder to take down due to their accelerated time, leading to increased damage, greater casualties, and injuries among witches.

Since healing magic remains undiscovered and medical resources are scarce, injuries to witches are especially devastating.

The number of time-accelerating Class A monsters will only continue to grow.

As a result, more witches will be injured, and they will eventually be forced into battle while still wounded.

Fighting while injured increases the risk of severe injuries.

And severe injuries lead to death.

This crisis is advancing too fast for magician training and combat drills to keep up.

If nothing is done, the Tokyo Witch Assembly, which is already suffering from a dwindling population, will lose even more members.

The Eyeball Witch, who has the largest managed territory and is a friend of the Seer mage, would be the first to fall due to her overwhelmed defense capabilities.

To prevent this, the Seer mage has been pushing forward with weapon development.

If ordinary people could use weapons to combat Class A monsters—something that previously only witches and mages could handle—it would significantly ease the burden.

The Gremlin Engineering Department at the university has been commissioned to research staffs, traps, and bombs effective against Class A monsters.

Professor Handa, a highly competent and pragmatic researcher, quickly abandoned a purely magic approach after receiving the request and instead proposed building a production system for nitroglycerin.

Magic methods for ordinary people to attack Class A monsters effectively are nearly nonexistent.

Currently, even combining the Monster Trap and the Blood Staff Vampir fails to deliver a decisive blow.

However, chemistry offers a solution.

Not all pre-apocalyptic chemical technology was lost.

Although the loss of electricity set civilization back 200 years, rendering further scientific advancements unlikely, some useful techniques still remain.

Nitroglycerin, the primary explosive used in dynamite, is a proven weapon that wreaked havoc in wars of the previous civilization.

Calculations suggest that while it may be ineffective against Class 2 monsters and above, it should work against Class 3 monsters.

Professor Handa, despite not being a bomb specialist, has been working alongside surviving chemists to develop explosives.

Their lab has already succeeded in producing nitroglycerin, and they are now studying the structure of high-lethality dynamite bombs and formulating a mass production system that fits the current civilization’s technological level.

The Seer mage can only hope that weapon development is completed before the witches’ ability to respond is completely overwhelmed by the increasing threat of Class A monsters.

Ideally, the Seer mage would have asked the enigmatic genius craftsman 0933 to mass-produce powerful staffs and sealing bullets.

However, the Blue Witch, who is in charge of negotiations, is reluctant to distribute weapons that could disrupt the power balance.

Furthermore, if 0933 feels pressured, he disappears without a trace, cutting off all communication.

Forcing the temperamental genius to develop weapons is not an option.

0933 has already contributed immensely to humanity and seems to strongly dislike social interactions.

If pushing him results in his disappearance, it would be better for him to stay uninvolved in the escalating crisis of Class A monsters.

He does, however, show interest in analyzing Black Gremlins—if they can be delivered to him before they naturally dissipate over time.

While the evolution of monsters is terrifying, what disturbs the Serer mage most is the impending phenomenon set to occur in six months—the Great Migration of Class A monsters.

Some Class A monsters carrying Black Gremlins will begin crossing the sea, migrating eastward.

Those that can swim will swim, those that can fly will fly, and those that can do neither will be carried by other migrating monsters.

Ordinarily, monsters only form groups with their own species.

While some coexistence between different species has been observed by the university’s Monsterology Department, there are no known cases of coordinated movement among different species.

The sight of Class A monsters systematically migrating eastward, as if acting in unison, is both eerie and ominous.

At first glance, this “migration” may seem like a blessing.

If the abnormally powerful Class A monsters plaguing survivor communities disappear over the sea, the survivors only need to endure the crisis for a time before peace returns.

However, the reason behind the migration is unknown.

If the monsters that migrate east never return, all will be well.

But what if they breed, grow stronger, and come back in even greater numbers?

What if they trigger an event that affects Japan as well?

A swarm of powerful Class A monsters could bring about unimaginable destruction.

The Seer mage’s foresight has limits.

He cannot yet see what will result from the migration—whether catastrophe or nothing at all.

With time, as the future draws closer, it will become clearer.

He can only hope that when the truth is revealed, it won’t already be too late.

The threat posed by Class A monsters is grave, but another danger looms: the Arataki Group.

This large survivor community, headquartered in Kyushu, recently launched a sudden assault on the Biwa Lake Pact five months ago, seizing control and assimilating it into their domain.

Now, their influence is reaching Tokyo.

If the Arataki Group were to govern effectively, the Seer mage would happily relinquish all political and economic control of Tokyo, freeing himself for a peaceful rural life.

Unfortunately, their rule appears to be disastrous.

The Arataki Group first attempts to contact the Witch of Setagaya.

If they allows this, Setagaya quickly succumbs to highly addictive and dangerous drugs.

Crime skyrockets, political and economic stability collapses, and the district devolves into lawlessness where only violence holds power.

From Setagaya, the Arataki Group rapidly spreads chaos across Tokyo.

Their members remain unknown—only that there are at least two of them.

The specifics of their drugs are also unclear.

Since the Witch of Setagaya idolizes witches and mages, and harbors elitist views, it makes sense that she might resonate with the Arataki Group’s oppressive ideology.

However, even witches likely to oppose their tyranny inexplicably comply.

For a month, the Seer mage has repeatedly sabotaged their attempts to make contact.

Yet, one week ago, the future in which they attempt to do so vanished from sight.

Instead, what the future-seeing mage saw was the future of the Blue Witch storming into the witches’ gathering in a rage.

It seemed that someone had stolen Kyanos.

From the surrounding circumstances, it was likely that the Arataki Group was responsible for the theft (or attempted theft) of Kyanos. Realizing that they could not manipulate the Setagaya Witch, they must have changed their strategy. Stealing a magic staff from the Blue Witch was no small feat—only a witch or a mage could have done it.

However, the Seer mage was unable to see the identity of the thief. It was also possible that some unrelated incident had coincidentally overlapped with the Arataki Group’s scheme.

The Seer mage had previously made the mistake of acting on uncertain information, assuming it was absolute truth simply because they had glimpsed it in a vision. This had once led to trouble, requiring the intervention of the blood-sucking mage to clean up the mess.

Learning from past mistakes, the Seer mage chose to simply warn the Blue Witch: “Someone is trying to steal Kyanos.”

The warning proved effective.

The day Kyanos was supposed to be stolen passed without incident.

Had the Arataki Group succeeded, they would have likely unleashed devastatingly overpowered magic, wiping out the gathered witches. There was no way they could be allowed to take it.

Thanks to the warning, the already highly vigilant Blue Witch became even more watchful, maintaining a state of extreme alertness. At this point, even the Seer mage themselves would find it impossible to steal from her.

With the Arataki Group situation temporarily dealt with, the Seer mage spent the next few days focusing on visions concerning the abnormality of Class A monsters.

Both the Arataki Group and the Class A monster problem were serious concerns.

However, magic power was limited, and excessive use of precognition placed a heavy burden on the brain. It was impossible to fully monitor both threats at once.

The future-seeing mage considered the Class A monster issue to be the greater threat.

Bluffs worked against the Arataki Group, but not against monsters.

The Seer was known for his ability to foresee events, and their actions based on these visions had earned them a formidable reputation.

But he kept the exact details of his ability a secret—to maintain its deterrent effect.

If the limitations and mechanisms of future sight were fully understood, those with malicious intent would inevitably try to exploit its weaknesses.

In fact, the Iruma Mage had once attempted to probe into the nature of his abilities, back when he still pretended to be a good person before staging a coup. The failure to foresee that coup—and prevent it—had been the Seer mage’s biggest blunder, as they had foolishly trusted a supposed ally and revealed too much.

That mistake would not be repeated.

Aside from the now-dead Iruma Mage, no one else knew the full details of the Seer mage’s abilities.

Thanks to this secrecy, he had been able to suppress numerous crimes and disasters.

Even the Zombie Witch, who commanded millions of undead in her controlled territory, remained reclusive, indulging in her morbid necrophilic reverse harem rather than causing chaos—likely due to the deterrence of future sight.

The Setagaya Witch, too, frequently sought the future-seeing mage’s opinion, nervously asking if her rule was stable from a foresight perspective.

Even the Arataki Group must have been aware of the Seer mage’s existence through the Dragon Witch. (There was no way that talkative Dragon Witch hadn’t said anything.) They were likely overestimating future sight’s capabilities and taking excessive precautions as a result.

But Class A monsters had no such reservations.

They were simply strong.

Stronger and ever-increasing in threat.

The sheer uncertainty of the situation made them even more dangerous.

Given that cunning tactics wouldn’t work against Class A monsters, it was only natural for the Seer mage to prioritize analyzing their future over dealing with the Arataki Group.

For several days, he tracked one of the Class 3 monsters that had been deliberately left alive.

Then, he turned his gaze back to the Arataki Group.

What had they been up to?

While working in his office at the Bunkyō Ward Office, the Seer mage foresaw an event related to the Arataki Group—and was horrified.

Bunkyō Ward had been reduced to rubble.

It wasn’t a slow destruction over days.

It was an event set to occur within a single day.

The Seer mage broke into a cold sweat.

A nuclear bomb? A Class 1 monster? No—it was the work of the Arataki Group.

A few more visions confirmed it: The Arataki Group intended to wipe out the Seer mage—along with all of Bunkyō Ward—before launching a large-scale assault on Tokyo from multiple directions.

“Is this an emergency situation?”

The Seer mage, hunched over his desk, sweating profusely in distress, heard the tense voice of their secretary.

They gave a heavy nod.

“Call the communications team. I’ll try to find a future where we can avoid disaster, but we’ll likely have to declare a state of emergency.”

“Understood. Guards! Summon five members of the communications team immediately! At least one must be a stenographer!”

With an acknowledgment, the guards rushed off, their footsteps fading into the distance.

The future-seeing mage sorted through the possible futures in their mind.

With less than a day before disaster struck, time was running out.

This was not just a matter of magical power—it was a race against time, and a battle against the strain on their own brain. Even if the visions were focused on a short timeframe, using future sight repeatedly in rapid succession would cause severe mental damage.

They had to be selective.

What needed to be seen?

What could be ignored?

The Seer mage agonized over the decision for only a minute.

Soon, the communications team arrived, forming a nervous line, their hands tightly gripping their pens.

The Seer mage smiled, reassuring them.

“Don’t worry. A storm is coming, but the future is bright. I will make it bright. Just do what you can within your abilities.”

“Now then… My vision—today will not end. Yours—tomorrow will be… a guiding light—×××—knack—”

The Seer mage began his prophecy.

Interpreting the glimpses of the future, they issued commands.

“Summon the Eyeball Witch, the Night Witch, the Tobacco Witch, and—no, damn it, she’s gone now. Just those three. If possible, get the Spider Witch too. Use the Vampire’s Mage’s name as leverage if necessary, but keep their presence hidden if need be.”

“The Eyeball Witch’s familiar is already linked. The others will be contacted immediately. We’ll dispatch a messenger for the Spider Witch.”

“Good. Today, at some point while the sun is still up, the Arataki Group will attack this place. Everyone must remain vigilant, stick together, and coordinate their defenses. Bunkyō Ward might be completely wiped out. Emphasize the need for maximum caution. That’s the first directive.”

“Understood. Shimizu, take care of this.”

“Got it. I’ll use our fastest courier. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes. Hurry.”

One of the communication team members bowed and hurriedly left, memo in hand.

The Seer continued layering predictions in rapid succession.

“Ore no zagaa, kyou wa nuwoowaru puo. Omae no n-ro, ashita ni iyunn michishirube wo ××× kunakku.”
… “Warn the Dragon Witch. Around noon, a witch from the Arataki Group will approach from the Saitama border.”

“Ore no zagaa, kyou wa nuwoowaru puo. Omae no n-ro, ashita ni iyunn michishirube wo ××× kunakku.”
… “The witch coming for the Dragon Witch possesses a magic stone. The Dragon Witch isn’t necessarily outmatched, but I need this message to reach her adjutant, Zaizen. Convince her to fight. If that district falls, it’ll be disastrous. That’s the second warning.”

“We will relay the message with urgency. Should we send reinforcements?”

“No, we don’t have the manpower. She’ll have to handle it on her own. Moving on to the third warning.

“Ore no zagaa, kyou wa nuwoowaru puo. Omae no n-ro, ashita ni iyunn michishirube wo ××× kunakku.”
… !?
“Ore no zagaa, kyou wa nuwoowaru puo. Omae no n-ro, ashita ni iyunn michishirube wo ××× kunakku.”
… “No, this won’t make it in time, damn it!”

“Ore no zagaa, kyou wa nuwoowaru puo. Omae no n-ro, ashita ni iyunn michishirube wo ××× kunakku.”
…”I need to see a little more. Yes, here. Send word to the Blue Witch. There’s a witch monitoring her from the rooftop of an abandoned gas station near the southern edge of Ōme City. A woman with a tattoo on her shoulder. Have her eliminate the target and hurry to Bunkyō Ward.”

“Understood. We will relay the message via the nearest mage’s familiar.”

“Do it. Why won’t she carry a direct familiar link, damn it! … No, I lost my composure. That’s the third warning. Moving on to the fourth.”

Casting spells one after another, the Seer felt immense gratitude toward 0933.

If not for his custom-made staff, he would have lacked the output needed to extract the necessary foresight in a single cast, forcing him to waste two or three spells per vision.

The backflow prevention feature was an absolute godsend. Even after seven consecutive visions of the following day, his mind remained sharp. Without it, his brain would have already shut down, leaving him slurring his words.

With hour-long breaks, it would have been easier.

But an hour’s rest could mean Tokyo falling into lawless chaos.

At this moment, each vision was worth its weight in gold.

Even as he pushed the limits of his custom-made staff, when he surpassed thirty visions, his speech began to falter.

Nosebleeds dripped onto his robes. His vision blurred.

Tears fell—except they weren’t tears. They were blood.

As he struggled to stay aware of what he was even doing, he forced himself to cast one more spell.

“Ore no zagaa, kyou wa nuwoowaru puo. Omae no n-ro, ashita ni iyunn michishirube wo ××× kunakku.”
… “The Arataki Group… They all have magic stones. They’re strong. Be careful. Why do they have so many…? Ugh, right… Did they take them from Biwako Kyotei?”

“That’s enough! Seer, evacuate immediately!”

Supported by his secretary, it took several seconds for him to even register that he had nearly collapsed.

A stretcher had been prepared in the office.

“Seer, please, no more! You’ll die at this rate! At least rest for a while!”

“…No… I can’t… just one more…!”

“Wakitate ××× waga ×× chi shio deeni!”

With deliberate effort, the Seer cast an enchantment for self-reinforcement.

The spell briefly enhanced his physical abilities and induced a mild stimulant effect.

As long as the spell remained active, even if his mana dropped to zero, even if his brain suffered severe damage—he would not lose consciousness.

The Seer gently but firmly pushed aside his secretary’s trembling hand, which was desperately trying to cover his mouth.

Then, for the final time, he spoke his last incantation.

“Ore no zagaa, kyou wa nuwoowaru puo. Omae no n-ro, ashita ni iyunn michishirube wo ××× kunakku.”
… “Ugh… Ah… Sensei… Kyouju… Tell them… Don’t die. University… Stay alive. It’ll be okay. I’ll save you. I will… definitely save you…”

No more words followed.

The Seer, now incapable of speech, was carried onto the stretcher by his distraught secretary and rushed to the evacuation site.

Even as he was transported, he mumbled incoherently, weakly grasping at his secretary’s fingers.

And finally, with one last sigh—like the incoherent babble of an infant—he lost consciousness.

Two hours later.

Before the Tokyo Witch Assembly could complete their preparations, the Arataki Group launched their assault.

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