Chapter 37 Mr. Shigeto from the Ministry of Magical Defense

The next morning, Instructor Arata walked into the classroom. His gaze went directly to Shota.

"Ultra Extra. With me. Now."

 Shota stood up. Mirai's eyes tracked him like a laser, her expression intense. Enji scowled, sensing something off in Arata's tone.

He followed Arata into sound-proofed conference room next door.

A man in a crisp, expensive suit stood by the window, a diplomatic smile on his face. More importantly, five other individuals were in the room. They weren't in uniform, but they didn't need to be. The air hummed with restrained, colossal mana. These were Pro Wizards, and they were powerful. Arata had personally fought alongside or assessed most of them.

Arata gestured toward the man in suit.

 "Ultra Extra, this is Mr. Shigeto from the Ministry of Magical Defense." 

The suited man gave a shallow, polite bow.

 "And these," Arata continued, sweeping a hand towards the five figures, "are your escorts. Ranked Pro Wizards #11, #12, #13, #14, and #15."

Shota recognized them. They were legends in their own right, a task force capable of handling an S-tier threat. And they were all here for him.

Mr. Shigeto stepped forward.

 "Ultra Extra-kun, it is an honor to finally meet the young man behind the incredible reports! Please, don't be alarmed by the company. They are here purely as a precaution for your safety. You see, the situation with the Eternal Veil is becoming... critical. We believe your unique UR-tier barrier magic holds the key to its restoration! Imagine it—the boy who inherits the Witch Queen's legacy, using his gift to save the entire city! It would be the ultimate heroic act. 

We're not asking for a miracle today. We simply need you to come with us to the Veil's core anchor point. Let our top technicians assess the resonance between your magic and the Veil's structure. Perhaps you can sense what's wrong. There's no pressure. Even if you can't fix it today, your presence, your willingness to help, would mean the world to the Association and the people of Tokyo.

Just come and take a look. Help if you can. Be the hero you were meant to be. So, what do you say?"

Inside Shota’s mind, Lycoris spoke.

"Ara ma, Mr. Shigeto himself has come to greet you. This is worse than I thought, Shota-chan. They are not here to ask for your help. They are planning to kill you."

"Wait, what do you mean, kill me?"

"Let me explain. First, the 'Eternal Veil' as they call it… that thing was never meant to be a permanent barrier. It is a sanctuary spell. I cast it in a panic, with my dying breath. I fused random spells together—healing magic, barrier-detection, mana-absorption. It was a desperate patch, not a magic engineering marvel. It was a magical scrap-job."

"Second," she continued, "it's theoretical lifespan was two years, tops. It should have crumbled to dust eight years ago. The 'restoration' function was never part of the plan. But it seems the fools in the Association have discovered they can force-feed the spell. They can prolong its unnatural life by shoving raw power into its core—specifically, the power of barrier mages like you. They don’t know how to fix it. They just want to drain your unique UR-tier magic completely and use it as a battery to shock the corpse back to life for a few more years."

The pieces snapped together with chilling clarity. The escort wasn't for protection. It was to deliver a sacrifice.

"My god," Lycoris sighed, "What a foolish, monstrous thing to do. They are trying to sustain a death-spell by feeding it the living."

Shota stood very still. He looked at Mr. Shigeto’s smile, at the faces of the five Pro Wizards meant to "escort" him, and at Arata’s blank expression. He saw the trap, elegant and inescapable.

“Alright,” Shota said, “If my magic can really help… then we should go. Now. The faster the barrier is restored, the safer everyone will be.”

Mr. Shigeto’s smile became triumphant. The asset was compliant.

 “Splendid! Such a mature and heroic perspective, Ultra Extra-kun! Time is indeed of the essence. We should move at once as you wish.”

“Okay,” Arata said, “Then it’s settled. If you’ve decided to go, I will not stop you. He’s all yours, Mr. Shigeto."

 “Thank you for your cooperation, Instructor Arata. Now then, Ultra Extra-kun, shall we secure the future?” he said, gesturing grandly toward the door. 

"Yes, for the better future. Let's go."

"Shota-chan, what are you doing?! I just warned you they will use you as a sacrifice!"

"It's alright, miss Lycoris. They want to take me to the core of your spell. You said that’s where your body is sealed. You said that’s where we need to be to fuse you back together. They’ll take me right to the heart of the Veil. Right to you. All we have to do is cast the spell."

"Shota-chan, wait. This is… too rushed. You have reached S-tier magic power, yes. Your growth is extraordinary. But my spell… the fusion ritual… it was theoretical. A contingency for a dying moment. I have never cast it.

And the Veil… it is a corrupted, forced thing now. I have no perception of mana from within you. I cannot feel the state of my own body sealed inside it. What if it’s… degraded? What if the fusion fails? Or worse, what if it backfires?

You are walking into a chamber surrounded by enemies to attempt an untested, high-level soul-and-body fusion on a corrupted magical construct. The variables are infinite. This isn’t a plan; it’s a potential disaster. You are rushing it."

Shota kept his face neutral as he was guided down the hallway by the ranked Pros. Mr. Shigeto chattered ahead about protocol and honor.

“It doesn’t matter,” he thought back, “The other path is them draining me until I’m a hollow shell. That’s a 100% chance of failure. Of dying for nothing.”

He paused as they entered a secure transport, the Pro Wizards forming a silent wall around him.

“This path has a chance. Even if it’s small. Even if your body is dust and the spell goes wrong. At least we tried to do something. At least we fought back on our terms.”

"Very well, Shota-chan, if that is what you truly want, I will not try to talk you out of it. But know this: the moment you make physical contact with the Eternal Veil’s core; our connection will be direct. I will be able to feel the state of my sealed body. I will know if the fusion is possible, and what condition the vessel is in. I can make the final call only then."

She paused.

"That leaves one significant problem: the audience. The government agents and the ranked Pro Wizards. They are expecting a simple draining ritual. They will be monitoring for mana outflow, not a complex soul-weaving. The moment we begin the true fusion; the energy signature will be… unique. It may not match their expectations.

Our window will be small. The spell itself, if it works, will take more than a few minutes. But if they realize what we are attempting before it completes, they will try to stop us. The most important rule. When the fusion spell begins, you cannot be interrupted. Not even for a second. 

The ritual requires my full consciousness to leave your soul and guide my physical form’s awakening. Your mana will be the bridge and the fuel. For those critical moments your mind and magic must be completely focused. You will be… defenseless.

If the spell is broken during that time, the feedback will be fatal, my soul could be shredded. Your mind could be burned out from the backlash. At best, we both fail. At worst, we are both erased."

The secure transport continued its smooth ride. The ranked Pro Wizards sat like statues around him. Mr. Shigeto hummed a tuneless note.

"That’s fine,” Shota thought back, “I’ve spent my whole life between the walls. Hiding in a barrier, hiding in my room, hiding in the grey. Being attacked while I'm in my barrier… that’s just a normal day for me. But this time, it won’t be for nothing.”

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Back in the classroom, the curious silence left by Shota's departure was broken as Instructor Arata slammed back through the door. 

"Listen up! Change of plans for the day! The 'theory lesson' is cancelled. We have a live operation. Ultra Extra has accepted a 'mission' from the government and the Pro Wizard Association. He is being escorted as we speak.

Our job is to join the guard. Not for him. For the site. If any hostiles appear to interfere with the procedure, we are the rapid response! Gear up. Full combat load. We are not observing; we are securing the perimeter. The government’s ritual is important; they will need all the support they can get. Consider it extra-credit fieldwork."

He clapped his hands together. 

"Everyone! On the double! Trucks are rolling in five! Move, move, MOVE!"