(Heartfelt thanks to 'Fen Long' and 'David H. Smith' for their rewards!)
"Wh-What is that?"
Looking at the small devices displayed on the screen, representatives from every nation present wore incredulous expressions.
After all, none of them recognized the small devices fastened at the waists of the Initiators.
They were as compact as mobile phones.
Their bodies were a vivid crimson.
A bright gemstone was embedded in the center.
And that gemstone was currently glowing, scattering an almost fantastical radiance.
Every Cursed Child among the Initiator teams attacking the Demon Realm Forest wore one of those small devices.
Noah pointed at the device on the screen and said to everyone present.
"You can call it an Artificial Sacred Gear."
"An Artificial Sacred Gear?" The representatives from the various nations voiced their bewilderment.
"Artificial Sacred Gear?" Sogen Saitake murmured under his breath.
"Artificial Sacred Gear?" Kisara was equally puzzled.
"Artificial Sacred Gear?" Saint Tenzi stared fixedly at the device displayed on the screen, her slender hand slowly curling into a fist.
Seeing everyone's confused expressions, Noah spread his hands and spoke.
"Just consider it one of the gains I made during the three years I was gone."
At those words, everyone came to a realization.
"A gain from the three years you disappeared?" Sogen Saitake asked uncertainly.
"In other words, is this device called an Artificial Sacred Gear the reason why Fairy Village's Initiators have become so astonishingly powerful?"
"That's right." Noah admitted it openly.
"The effect of this Artificial Sacred Gear is very simple. It raises the activity of the Gastrea Virus within a Cursed Child's body to its utmost limit, reaching the critical point."
"If an Initiator who has not yet reached her growth limit wears this Artificial Sacred Gear, then for the duration it is active, her abilities