There are many ways to break a seal.
Generally speaking, two stand out: completely crushing it with power—an effective but crude method of brute force—or fulfilling the necessary conditions to unlock it, which is the normal unsealing process.
However, when it came to the Separation and Reunion of Two placed on the Yamai Sisters, neither method was available to DEM.
The sealing art was Haruno Yukinoshita’s original creation.
Without any subjects to study, DEM had no way to perform a normal unsealing, let alone brute-force it.
But even so, it wasn’t impossible.
It was like trying to pull a rare character from a limited gacha banner.
Besides spending enough time to accumulate pulls or brute-forcing it with money to guarantee a result, there were other ways.
For example, being a lucky bastard who gets it on the first try.
Or using cheats to hack the system—consequences like remaining lifespan or time until a ban be damned.
Both could be considered solutions.
In order to “reasonably” obtain the Twin Spirits, breaking the seal was an unavoidable step for DEM.
This laboratory had been established for exactly that purpose.
“Will this thing really work?” Westcott idly toyed with the strangely shaped dagger in front of him.
DEM had invested a large amount of funds just to replicate this little thing.
“I need a guarantee.”
“We can guarantee that much.” The one answering Westcott was a slightly plump researcher wearing glasses.
“We made two prototypes. One has already proven its effectiveness in an experiment. However, because it is a replica, it will lose its effect after a single use.”
Rule Breaker.
This strangely shaped dagger was the Noble Phantasm of the Betrayer Witch, Medea, from mythology.
As a weapon, its performance was virtually nonexistent.
But it possessed one unique property: the effect of breaking all magic and spells.
Of course, the unrestricted Rule Breaker was the exclusive Noble Phantasm of the Betrayer Witch herself.
The object before them was nothing more than a clumsy imitation.
“It would have been better if we could have gotten our hands on that Sekkarou,” Westcott said, placing the replica Rule Breaker back into the assistant’s case.
He still found it a pity.
“But unfortunately, one really shouldn’t poke the Lion King Organization’s whiskers.”
“The Type-7 Assault Demon-Slaying Lance does indeed have the effect of nullifying magical power and severing barriers.” The plump researcher’s envy was evident; he spoke of the weapon as if it were his own treasure.
“But the core of that weapon is the Saint Spear of Demon Destruction—a legacy of the Celestial Tribe. It is also inscribed with the Lion King Organization’s unique proprietary technology: the ‘Divine-Grade Vibration Wave Driving Ritual.’ Its lethality is simply too high.”
“Would there be serious consequences?” New chapters come out on g.com first.
“It would certainly break the seal. However, it would very likely cause irreparable damage to the Twin Spirits. That would be… highly undesirable for subsequent research.”
“I see.” Westcott turned to the woman beside him.
“Jessica. Keep this dagger safe. The task of breaking the twins’ seal is entrusted to you.”
Jessica Bailey was the captain of DEM’s Third Combat Unit, codenamed Adeptus 3.
Ranked just below Ellen and Mana, she could be counted as one of DEM’s top combatants.
Jessica accepted the Rule Breaker and nodded.
“Understood. I will complete the mission. But there is one thing I don’t understand.”
“Speak.”
“Didn’t you say this replica can only be used once? Yet there are two Twin Spirits.”
“You don’t need to worry about that.” The plump researcher adjusted his glasses.
“When the twins were originally sealed, the ritual that took effect was a single, unified art. Although we have no way to determine the exact composition of this ritual, it is almost certainly a single ritual targeting both of them simultaneously.”
“Regardless of which twin it is used on,” he continued, “the seal will inevitably fail completely.”
“I see.”
“For this operation,” Westcott interjected, his tone cold, “Adeptus 1 and Adeptus 2 will also accompany you. Your three tasks are all critical links. Remember—failure is not an option.”
“Yes.”
…
Mana Takamiya was not even fifteen years old.
She stood less than 1.5 meters tall and looked like a well-behaved, cute young girl.
Anyone passing her on the street would likely assume she was an ordinary middle school student.
However, in terms of combat power, there was no doubt that this girl had earned her codename Adeptus 2 within DEM.
If one considered only the skill of operating Realizers, she was enough to rank among the world’s top five.
Yet at this moment, she was deeply troubled.
Not because the mission was particularly difficult.
But because…
“A honey trap?” Mana’s voice was flat, but her brow was furrowed.
“Is that really necessary?”
“I am very sorry, Adeptus 2.” The researcher’s voice was apologetic but firm.
“But the enemy we are dealing with truly cannot be handled by force alone. We ask that you sacrifice a small amount of your appearance and time for this operation. You only need to stall him. We will complete the mission in the shortest possible time, and you will lose nothing because of it.”
Westcott kindly “persuaded” the innocent young girl in front of him.
Mana Takamiya still had extremely high utility value at the moment, and he didn’t mind wearing a mask to play house with this child for a while longer. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Mana Takamiya sighed.
“If it is a mission, I will execute it seriously. But I still have some questions.”
“What questions?”
“Can a girl like me really seduce the Fourth Progenitor?” Her tone was flat, almost clinical.
“Setting aside how an immortal vampire views human females in general—in terms of feminine charm alone, Adeptus 1 is the one with the most appeal, isn’t she?”
This was not false modesty.
Mana Takamiya considered her only advantage in feminine charm to be her cute face.
Her figure showed absolutely no curves.
And her personality was not the type that men typically found appealing.
“Rest assured.” Westcott’s smile remained perfectly composed.
“According to the Lion King Organization’s investigative records, this Fourth Progenitor’s preference is exactly your type—young. He is not interested in old women like Ellen.”
Old women.
Mana filed that away.
“Under our arrangement, you will have a perfect ‘chance encounter’ with the Fourth Progenitor on his way to school, thereby stalling for time. It does not need to be long. Adeptus 1 will hold off that ‘Rock Crusher.’ A few minutes is more than enough for Adeptus 3 to break the twins’ seal.”
“I see.” Mana nodded slowly.
“So the Fourth Progenitor is a perverted younger-girl-con. I will execute this mission properly.”
“Then I wish you good fortune in battle, Adeptus 2.”
“This has nothing to do with fortune in battle,” Mana said flatly.
“I simply heard that Japanese people bless each other this way.”
“Also.” Mana paused at the door.
“Regarding the matter of you calling Ms. Ellen an old woman—I will tell her about it.”
“Please.” For the first time, Westcott’s smile flickered.
“Absolutely not.”
Mana Takamiya turned and left Westcott’s office without another word.
She needed to properly research the information regarding the Fourth Progenitor.
Surely, she could manage to stall for a few minutes.
Right, Fourth Progenitor.
You lover of younger girls.