Dividing the job.

Raynare, Lavinia and I left Azazel's office, not before he gave me three strange eggs.

At first glance, these looked like simple white rounded objects. But my impression of them changed the moment I laid my hands on them.

The eggs had their own heartbeat.

Did these eggs contain Sacred Gears?

Of course, they didn't.

The eggs were nothing more than a catalyst for Sacred Gears, similar to the bracelet Azazel gave to Hyoudou Issei. While the bracelet allowed Issei to use his Balance Breaker for a short period, the eggs help awaken a special kind of Sacred Gears.

Independent Avatar Type Sacred Gears.

The most powerful of this type of Sacred Gears are none other than three of the Longinus, of which at least two are involved this time.

Canis Lycaon.

Absolute Demise.

Incinerate Anthem.

Following these three, the next Independent Avatar Type Sacred Gears are the so-called Four Fiends.

These creatures are better known as "four evil creatures of the world" and come from Chinese mythology. Ironically, their souls enclosed in Sacred Gears manifest in the bodies of Japanese people.

Tāotiè represents Greed and Gluttony.

Qiongqi represents Deviousness

Táowù represents Ignorance.

Húndù represents Chaos.

I could go on long enough about these four beasts, but I honestly think it's unnecessary and irrelevant. The only important thing is that these beasts were killed in the past and their souls were sealed in these four Sacred Gears.

Our goal is to deliver the three eggs to the three people that Azazel has indicated to us, and wait for them to awaken their respective Sacred Gears. As long as they do not awaken their Sacred Gears, we have to protect them from this Utsusemi Agency.

I don't know why the agency is called that, and neither does Azazel. The only thing we know about them is that some exiled members of the Japanese clans, but that's all we know so far.

As former members of Japanese clans, they should have knowledge in the Japanese exorcism system. Even if that's the case, they shouldn't have a higher level than those who visited Baraqiel's house six months ago.

"Well, how do we do this?" I asked the two girls.

"What do you mean?" Raynare asks.

"There are three people we have to deliver an egg to, and there are three of us designated to carry out this task. I propose that we each take one of the students involved."

This is an idea that just came to my mind.

Why focus the three of us on one person when we can divide and act simultaneously?

"It's okay with me, Dra-kun."

Huh?

Did Lavinia just call me Dra-kun?

I'm stunned as I look at Lavinia, and she seems to have noticed. Her face has blushed a little, and she's avoiding my gaze.

"I like to give my friends nicknames, I hope you don't mind."

"It's okay, I don't mind at all. And you, Raynare, do you agree or not?"

Raynare shrugs.

"I think whatever decision Drako makes is the right one. Azazel has appointed you as a leader for a reason."

Headset seat. Having the support of my companions makes my job much easier.

"Come on, we have work to do."

---------------------------------------

Ryoukuu City, Japan.

Tobio Ikuse used to be a student at the Ryoukuu High School. Of course, this was all before the accident happened. Now, he's a student at a different school.

His parents died at a young age, and he was left in his grandmother's care. But she died recently, leaving the boy alone. The only person left in his life was his childhood friend, Sae Toujou.

But that only friend died/disappeared in the well-known accident.

Now, Tobio is coming home from school.

How do I know that?

Because I'm following him.

It's not that I'm a stalker or anything, it's just that when I was going to introduce myself to Tobio, I came across something very interesting.

Tobio seemed to have found something that had caused him a sudden shock, although I don't know what it could be.

There was a group of people who had attracted Tobio's attention, and he had run away, chasing them like a madman.

He gave chase, reaching the front of the building under construction. It was a scene for the construction of a condominium. The entrance to the construction site was strangely open, making it easy to gain entrance.

Tobio, confirming that no one was looking, stepped into the site. He proceeded to enter the site, filled with steel and wood.

Since the light from the electric lamps wasn't meant to reach here, and because of it was starting to get dark, visibility was very poor inside. Tobio turned on the mobile phone's backlight and continued walking while on its light.

It was when he was coming around the corner. Someone was standing there——.

That was one of the people in the group, and it seemed that Tobio knew him because...

"...Sasaki?"

Gingerly, Tobio called out.

Despite being called, Sasaki continued defiantly walking towards the back. ....He began to feel worried about what was up ahead. ...He began to wonder if the individual was conscious or even human.

"Sasaki...what're you doing?"

Again, Tobio called out. Then the boy turned to face him. As his body turned back, the backlight that had been shining on his back now lit up his eyes.

"——!"

Tobio let out an inarticulate sound and shrank back.

From behind him...something huge was chewing on something. The something noticed him and began coming towards him. ...It was a creature resembling a giant lizard. The mouth of the creature was painted with blood. The tongue emerged with a slurping sound as it stared at him curiously. The boy standing nearby was certainly Sasaki. It must be Sasaki. Tobio was convinced.

At that moment, something rolled over. Shining his light at it, there was the amputated head of a dog lying there.

There were deep scars on the head. The skin around the eyeball on one side had been scraped away.

"Hii!"

Tobio released a small scream, wincing at the sight.

The lizard begins munching on the dog. ...The sound of the chewing he heard earlier must have been...the sound chewing on the rest of the dog!