From the moment he set off, Ito was fully engaged.
Being responsible for the largest island in the Seto Inland Sea is a piece of cake for a veteran law enforcement team member like him.
On the south side of Sumoto in the eastern part of Awaji Island, there is a Tenshukaku Castle built in the 16th century, which is a Japanese-style castle that combines observation and command functions.
They were once one of the symbols of power in the feudal era.
But for the Ministry of Magic, the Tenshukaku Castle was merely a convenient place for the enforcement team to work.
Ito walked into the small house hidden by magic and stared expressionlessly at a young man sleeping soundly on the bed.
She's sleeping soundly; she's even snoring while I'm sitting on the edge of the bed.
If it had been a malevolent dark wizard, this young man would have been dead long ago.
He looked out the window.
The sunlight streaming down from the sunrise gradually calmed his expression.
Young people haven't learned from their mistakes, so the older generation should teach them a lesson.
He put on a white, horned monster mask, got up, drew his cherry blossom wood wand, and pointed it at the person on the bed.
"Petrificus Totalus— "
The snoring stopped abruptly.
Her big eyes had just opened when she was so frightened that she quickly closed them again.
That's terrifying, I must be dreaming.
When I opened my eyes again, I was filled with despair.
It was already past dawn, and yet he was wearing a ghost mask for no reason.
Wait a minute—this white robe looks familiar.
It looks a lot like the one hanging on the bedside clothes rack.
!
!
The young law enforcement team member, unable to move, stared wide-eyed.
He was so startled that he didn't realize it was Monday, his first day of work.
"Mmm-mmm-mmm—"
7 seconds? That's too slow a reaction time.
Ito broke the spell, "Ishigami, I'm here to take over your job."
After removing the demon mask and revealing who it was, Ishigami broke into a grin.
"Oh, it's Senior Ito. I thought it was someone who dared to mess with our enforcement team."
"The world is vast, and we are but a tiny grain of sand within it..."
Ishigami nodded energetically.
Regardless of whether he listened or not, Ito lectured him for a while before taking down the white robe of the law enforcement team from the bedside.
Do you know which area you'll be in charge of starting today?
"I know, senior." Ishigami caught the white robe. "It's Tokyo. I'm in charge of it together with Watanabe-senpai and Watanabe -Hirakawa sama."
"Watch your form of address." Ito frowned. "Ashiya Department Head doesn't want any special treatment."
Normally, a metropolis like Tokyo only requires two law enforcement team members to be in charge.
However, Hirakawa is about to be officially appointed, and this trip is to gain experience.
Wearing his white Ishigami nodded earnestly, "Yes, I will definitely set a good example for the newcomers!"
"Go on, don't be late."
Watching him vanish in Apparition, Ito walked out of the small house and gazed at the distant city and Osaka Bay.
Watanabe is a veteran of the enforcement team and is also the captain of the Fifth Division.
His abilities are absolutely not a problem; he's just mentoring two "newcomers."
Yes, in Ito's eyes, Ishigami was basically no different from the newcomers.
It's rush hour now, and there's more traffic in the city.
Wizards typically don't use non-magic vehicles when traveling, unless they are like an Auror who illegally entered the country, or they are genuinely on vacation.
He always felt that Sam was strange.
Twenty years in law enforcement was not for nothing.
His unkempt appearance and nonchalant demeanor were definitely an act to mislead them.
With his keen eye, Ito suddenly Apparition on the rooftop.
He keenly sensed a wisp of magical energy drifting by on the wind.
It's so faint that it would be difficult for anyone else to detect.
After a normal spell is cast, any traces of it will quickly disappear.
If someone this weak can float over, the power of their magic must be extraordinary.
Could it be Dark Magic?
Unexpectedly, a major case came up right after I handed over my shift.
Ito appeared in the city center through Apparition.
It was still very thin, as if it were blocked by something.
Is it coming from the other side of the island?
When he reappeared in his Apparition, his furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
Even though the sea was calm, several pieces of charred plastic on the beach showed subtle signs of Dark Magic erosion.
If the shift is delayed by even one day, all these lingering scents will dissipate.
At that point, not only him, but even the head of the enforcement team probably wouldn't be able to spot anything unusual.
Moreover, these plastics are not simple; they are synthesized using glass fiber and resin.
Wizards do not use this material; only those who have developed technology and are not magically gifted will use it.
Since it was found on the beach, it is very likely that it belonged to a boat.
Ito appeared in various non-magic departments on the island in Apparition, and it was known that no maritime accidents had occurred in the past half month.
They carefully chose a location facing a deserted beach and used Dark Magic that was just the right amount of power, enough to erase any traces in a short time.
Based on his experience, this was a premeditated attack.
But why would the attackers go to such lengths to destroy this ship without magic?
Could it be that...
He went back to the Coast Guard office on shore and searched through the ship registration files like a ghost.
No yachts have come ashore in the past week.
His relaxed brows furrowed tightly once more.
After visiting all the nearby islands, his face became extremely gloomy.
There was no registration upon arrival, none at all.
However, members of the law enforcement teams in the surrounding area have seen it.
The most recent sighting was last week by a young law enforcement team member who was in charge of the Kobe area and had already taken over the job in Hokkaido.
Without hesitation, he used Apparition to head to Hokkaido. After learning that the yacht had been heading towards Awaji Island the previous morning, it was already noon.
Without even eating, Ito immediately headed to Tokyo with a dark expression.
Find Ishigami, grab him by the collar and drag him into the alley next to him.
Watanabe was just about to say hello, was puzzled.
This usually meticulous colleague rarely gets angry. Even if a young person is unreliable, he will at most give them a lecture.
"You stay nearby and keep watch."
"Yes, senior!" Hirakawa stood ramrod straight, his expression serious.
Watanabe had just entered the alley when he heard Ito's roar.
"You bastard! Do you even know that the yacht was attacked right under your nose?!"
Ishigami aggrieved, Ishigami avoided his eyes. "Senior Ito, which ship are you talking about?"
"The crew consisted of ten Hogwarts students, two Ilvermorny students, and the ship belonging to the eldest daughter of the Shingu Family!"
"The ship that Ashiya Department Head removed from the list of key concerns the day before yesterday?"
"What other ships are there?!" Ito took a deep breath. "Did you even see any, you bastard?"
Ishigami shrank his neck and shook his head. "Senior, if I had seen it yesterday, I would definitely have told you when I took over the shift."
Like the witness, although the yacht was no longer a major concern, everyone knew who the students on board were.
The fact that the attackers even anticipated the actions of the law enforcement team clearly cannot be explained by mere coincidence.
The Seto Inland Sea is vast, large enough to accommodate more than 3,000 islands.
Such a major event must be meticulously planned by a very large organization.
Just two days ago, Ashiya Department Head was removed from the list of people under close surveillance, and yesterday his yacht was attacked by Dark Magic.
This case is particularly big, so big that even Hirakawa, who was standing guard outside the alley without intentionally eavesdropping, had a gloomy face.