New Adventure Duo

But this simple, carefree childhood did not last long. After they finished a barely filling boxed lunch at noon, the Homeroom Teacher suddenly brought news that afternoon classes had been canceled.

Most Primary School Students were happy to hear they would not have to attend class, but a small number of students began wondering why classes had been canceled.

Rin Tohsaka was one of them. She went to the office intending to ask the Teacher for the reason, only to overhear the discussion inside at the door. The teachers were talking about the children who had disappeared several days ago.

Because of King of Conquerors Iskandar's actions yesterday, Caster's Magecraft Workshop had been destroyed. The commotion caused during its destruction drew outside attention, and the heinous crime of slaughtering young children was thus exposed to the public.

One of the students who had previously disappeared from Branch 1 Elementary School in Fuyuki Outskirts was among the victims, and it was said that the culprit had still not been apprehended by the police.

The culprit operated around Fuyuki City, and quite a few students at the school came from that area. For the students' safety, after receiving notice about the child kidnapper and murderer in Fuyuki City, the Principal of Branch 1 Elementary School decided to cancel afternoon classes.

The following days would surely be tense as well. There might even be consecutive class cancellations, until the culprit was arrested or the terrible impact caused by this matter gradually faded from the public's memory.

Rin Tohsaka trembled as she listened outside the office. She thought of the girl who had not come to school today—Kotone also lived in Fuyuki City.

Worried about her friend, Rin Tohsaka used the payphone at school to call her friend's home. The phone was answered quickly, but an anxious woman's voice came through. "Is that Kotone?"

"I'm not Kotone. My name is Rin Tohsaka, and I'm Kotone's classmate. She didn't come to school today, so I wanted to ask what happened to her."

Rin Tohsaka's answer left the person on the other end somewhat disappointed.

"Kotone disappeared. She disappeared yesterday. We're looking for her too. If you have any news about her..."

After the call ended, Rin Tohsaka was somewhat dazed. As a mature little grown-up, she liked to act like an adult and watch TV news.

So, she knew something about the kidnapper appearing around Fuyuki City. She had simply never expected such a disappearance to happen to a friend so close to her.

"There's no class this afternoon. Let's go play soccer on the field."

After returning to the classroom, some children who could not go home right away began suggesting games to play in the afternoon. Unlike those carefree children, Rin Tohsaka, despite being the same age, was burdened with worry.

"What's wrong?"

Through the Crystal Palace, Broly noticed that Rin Tohsaka's Happiness Value had dropped and could not help asking.

"Kotone... Um, it's nothing."

People with troubles always wanted to confide in someone. But if the person they wanted to confide in was someone they believed would only be burdened by their worries, then it was better to forget it.

Rin Tohsaka was more mature mentally. In her eyes, Broly was simply a little deskmate who needed looking after. There was no need to say something that would frighten him too.

Broly: "..."

If it was nothing, why had her Happiness Value dropped? Every point of Happiness Value lost was equivalent to food that had not yet reached his hands vanishing into thin air. How could a foodie who cherished food not be anxious?

But Rin Tohsaka truly did not want to say more, leaving Broly unsure of what to do. Only after the school opened its gates to let the children who could go home leave, and Rin Tohsaka left with her little schoolbag, did Broly follow after her.

Rin Tohsaka decided to go to Fuyuki City to search for traces of her good friend. It was a reckless and impulsive act, but at the thought that a friend near her might die, she found it hard to bear. The worried girl failed to notice the little tail following behind her. She bought a ticket at the Train Station Platform ticket booth, passed through the gate after scanning it, and boarded a train that had just arrived for Fuyuki City.

Broly had no money and did not buy a ticket. Using his height advantage, he crawled beneath the barrier at the ticket gate. Somehow, the ticket inspector nearby failed to notice him, and he boarded the same train.

Once on the train, with more time to think calmly, Rin Tohsaka began to feel afraid. After all, she was only a seven-year-old child.

Though she usually acted like a little grown-up, Own People knew their own affairs. Facing the person who had abducted her friend and was suspected of being a child kidnapper and murderer... how could she, a child, possibly...

"Eh?"

A pair of little shoes appeared by her feet, making the girl look up. When she saw her little deskmate standing beside her, Rin Tohsaka's mouth fell open.

"Why are you here?"

She asked directly.

"I followed you here."

Broly told the truth.

"Ah, why?"

Rin Tohsaka was confused.

"You weren't doing well. I was worried about you."

Broly was concise, omitting the crucial detail that her Happiness Value had continued to fall.

Rin Tohsaka: "..."

She did not know what to say, but the panic and tension she had felt were indeed eased somewhat by the Boy who had suddenly appeared beside her.

She even put on the reliable, mature little grown-up act again in front of the little deskmate who needed her care. Pulling a stern face, she began lecturing Broly.

"Children should go straight home after school. Don't wander around outside. It's dangerous."

"Aren't you a child too?"

Broly asked back.

"I'm different. I'm going to find my friend, and I'm stronger than you."

Young Rin flushed red as she argued.

"Oh."

Broly nodded, believing her.

Yet that attitude of agreement left Rin Tohsaka at a loss instead.

"Aren't you going to argue with me?"

"Were you lying?"

"No."

Rin Tohsaka puffed out her chest, though her gaze shifted away guiltily.

"Where do you live? I'll take you home first later."

She changed the subject.

"My home is over there."

On the train, Broly pointed in the direction of the Fujimura Family's home.

"So, what's the exact address?"

Broly did not answer. He merely looked at the girl with a blank expression.

"Don't tell me you don't know your own home address?"

"I can find my way back myself."

Broly truly had not memorized the address, but he remembered the direction.

The distance was not far. It was even closer than the distance between his home on Vampa and the Vampa Spider Cavern nest.

"So, are you lost?"

Rin Tohsaka felt her head growing larger. Her old deskmate had disappeared, and her new deskmate had followed her and lost his way home.

"I'm not lost. I can find my way back."

Broly emphasized again.

But Rin Tohsaka did not believe a single word he said.

What did he mean, he could find his way back himself? It was simply the Boy's stubbornness, born from not wanting to lose face.

"I'm going to find my friend Kotone. After we get off, go find the police and have an Uncle policeman help you get home."

"What's a police officer?"

"You don't even know what police officers are? It's fine, I can take you to—"

Rin Tohsaka suddenly stopped. She realized that if the police saw someone her age, she would most likely be dragged home too.

"Forget it. You should come with me to find my friend. Once we find Kotone, I'll take you home. But you have to listen to me. If we really run into danger, when I tell you to run, you run immediately."

Taking a companion on an adventure was not a good idea, but in Young Rin's eyes, it was the only choice now.

After all, she could not go to the police and walk into a trap herself, nor could she leave her new deskmate, who obviously needed someone to take care of him, alone in an unfamiliar place.

"Okay."

Broly nodded obediently. He had no objections to what Rin Tohsaka had told him beforehand.

Young Rin and Young Broly's grand adventure duo in Fuyuki City was officially formed on the train.

After getting off the train, Rin Tohsaka led Broly in searching along the route from the Train Station Platform to her friend's house.

According to what Suzune's Mother had said, and based on Great Detective Rin Tohsaka's deduction, Rin Tohsaka believed her friend had been abducted on the way home.

However, she was not truly a Great Detective who looked like a child on the outside but was a high school student within. Faced with countless intersecting routes and buildings, Rin Tohsaka had no way of judging which area was more likely to be where the kidnapper appeared.

The girl could only investigate using the rather stupid method of exhaustive searching, and she was even using herself as bait.

Of course, there was also Broly, following behind her and joining in the search.

"Can't find anything. I really can't find anything..."

From the still-bright sky until sunset, Rin Tohsaka felt the helplessness of being a child.

"Broly?"

Just as Rin Tohsaka was preparing to continue searching like a headless fly, she discovered that the little tail following behind her had disappeared.

She became nervous. One old deskmate had disappeared—was another new deskmate about to disappear too, right from under her nose?

However, when she turned back onto the previous street, she discovered that the Boy had merely been drawn in by a Takoyaki Shop by the roadside and had stopped in front of it.

"Do you want some?"

Once she found that Broly had not disappeared, Rin Tohsaka breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing the Boy's hungry expression, she walked over and asked.

"Mm."

Broly nodded. The aroma of takoyaki stirred the craving in his stomach.

"Then I'll treat you."

Rin Tohsaka took out her little wallet and bought two portions of takoyaki.

After walking so much, she was hungry too.

The two entered the shop, found a seat, and waited for the takoyaki to be ready.

"I need to use the bathroom. Don't follow me."

While they waited, Rin Tohsaka felt the call of nature and got up to use the bathroom. When she saw Broly wanted to follow her, she blushed and said this.

Broly was very obedient and sat back down.

Sound of Rushing Water. The sound of flushing rang out.

As Rin Tohsaka washed her hands and prepared to leave, the Magic Pointer hanging from her chest reacted.

This Item had been a birthday gift her father gave her in advance. It could detect all people and objects in the world that possessed magic power, mainly so she could avoid hidden dangers. She had not expected it to react at a time like this.

Following the Magic Pointer's guidance, Rin Tohsaka poked her head out from the back door of the Takoyaki Shop and happened to see a Young Man passing the nearby alley entrance. He held the hands of several children with dull expressions, bathed in the setting sun and smiling brilliantly.

"Good children, come with Big Brother. Big Brother will take you to play fun games."

Ryunosuke Uryu wore the Hypnotic Magecraft Bracelet that his own Heroic Spirit Master had made for him, which had a hypnotic effect on children. He had gathered another group of adorable children.

Ever since meeting Master Bluebeard, Ryunosuke Uryu felt as though his creative inspiration was erupting every moment.

Because of the police search, he did not yet know that Rider had already destroyed his artwork.

He was smiling brilliantly as he thought about creating his next work of art.

He had already made a Human Handcrafted Piano. It truly was art.

So, his next work should focus on furniture. For example, a Human Handcrafted Piano Chair, one that would let him hear the beautiful wails of children when someone sat on it.

There's something wrong with this person. He has a magic power reaction!

Rin Tohsaka hesitated at the back door for a moment before choosing to quietly follow him. She had no intention of calling Broly. Compared to following a dangerous person who might be a kidnapper and murderer, letting her new deskmate stay in the Takoyaki Shop and eat takoyaki was the responsible thing to do for a companion.

"Your takoyaki."

Five minutes later, the Takoyaki Shop owner brought Broly the two finished portions.

Broly looked at the steaming takoyaki. While swallowing his saliva, he felt Rin Tohsaka was taking far too long.

The person he had locked onto with his Qi seemed to be getting farther and farther away. He did not know when she would return.

So...

It should be fine if he ate the Food that his wife had treated him to first, the portion that belonged to him, right?

Thinking that, Broly reached out and picked up a takoyaki pierced with a toothpick.

The round takoyaki was hot and fragrant when it entered his mouth.

When he bit down, the octopus tentacle inside had a chewy, springy texture.

In short, it was delicious.

Seeing some customers beside him pouring sauce over theirs, Broly copied them.

While Broly savored the takoyaki, Rin Tohsaka followed the suspected kidnapper and murderer down a staircase carefully.

She hid behind a box in the corner of the stairs. Only after the suspected kidnapper and murderer left again did she quietly enter a somewhat abandoned Underground Bar.

Rin Tohsaka saw some abducted children here, including her missing deskmate and friend.

"Suzune, Suzune..."

But no matter how she called to her, the Girl remained blank and vacant-eyed.

"She was hypnotized by magecraft."

After examining her, Rin Tohsaka deduced her friend's condition.

"Oh my, where did this child come from?"

Just as Rin Tohsaka prepared to go out and seek help, Ryunosuke Uryu, who had somehow returned, blocked the way behind her.

"If it hadn't been for Master's Familiar, I really wouldn't have noticed someone following me. But luckily, the person following me is such a cute child. So, what are you doing here?"

"I-I just took a wrong turn by accident."

The sudden change made cold sweat break out on Rin Tohsaka's forehead. As the Girl tried to explain herself, she attempted to run out from the side.

"Since you're here, why not play with Big Brother? A party is only fun when there are lots of people."

However, Ryunosuke Uryu blocked her and reached out to grab her. He had thought that with the Hypnotic Magecraft Bracelet, subduing a child would be effortless. Yet the moment he caught the Girl's hand, a sensation like an electric current made him release her immediately, completely unprepared.

"Do you have static electricity?"

Ryunosuke Uryu was somewhat surprised. Not being a Magician himself, he did not know that this was an electric-shock-like effect caused by the hypnosis magecraft on the bracelet being instinctively resisted by the magic power in the Girl's body.

"Don't climb onto the bar counter. It would be bad if you fell and damaged your body. Creative materials should be kept as intact as possible."

After some struggle, Ryunosuke Uryu caught Rin Tohsaka again. But as the Girl endured the magecraft assault that tried to cloud her consciousness and unleashed her own magic power to destroy the bracelet by brute force, he was blasted away.

With the hypnosis Item destroyed, the children in the bar woke up. Finding themselves in an unfamiliar place, some of them immediately began crying.

"Rin, where am I?"

"There's no time to explain. Come with me, quickly. The rest of you too, escape with me."

Under Rin Tohsaka's loud direction, the confused children instinctively obeyed her.

Just as Rin Tohsaka opened the door to escape, a Sea Demon descended from above.

"A Familiar?!"

The Sea Demon's ferocious appearance made the Girl's face turn pale with fright, and she hurriedly stepped back.

"Good thing I have help."

Ryunosuke Uryu climbed up from the ground and spoke in relief, pulling a Small Knife from his pocket.