Hajime's base power was not extraordinary. He was neither extremely weak nor an elite.
Yet the explosion of [mana] that erupted from the boy's body shook the entire underground structure, and the room was specifically designed to withstand the power of a high-level [mage].
"(This is all his latent power… unrefined? He could end up being stronger than his father...)" (Fumio)
"Fumio-sensei, Hajime is…?" (Kohaku)
"Stay here. I'll handle it."
Kuro, Kohaku, and Cloe listened to their teacher's words. The three were filled with questions and doubts, but they knew they had to wait before receiving any answers.
"(I'll have to tell him about his [Grimoire] after this… damn it)" (Fumio)
The man approached the boy, who was curled up on the floor, unconscious. His body was reverting to its usual appearance.
"(Incredible… where did this [Grimoire] come from? This is definitely a [magic] that alters a person's appearance…)"
The 30-year-old checked Hajime's vital signs. His heartbeat was too fast, his skin burned, and his body was covered in a layer of cold sweat.
"(He vomited a lot of blood… his new power must have shifted some of his organs… this is really a problem. We can't help him alone.)"
Taking Goto's stepson into his arms, Fumio carried him to the infirmary, followed by three very worried teenagers.
"Is the donkey going to survive?" (Kuro)
"He's not out of danger yet. Guys, stay with him until I call for help. Let me know if there are any changes." (Fumio)
"Fumio-sensei… why was his power so out of control? It almost seemed like…" (Cloe)
"Like it wasn't his? That's what you meant? You're right, his [magic] comes from an unknown [Grimoire] inside him… this is all my fault; I didn't think there would be such a violent reaction out of nowhere." (Fumio)
As the old [mage] exited the room, Kohaku looked at Hajime sadly.
"He has already suffered so much… yet he is using his power… the power of a [Grimoire] that could either kill him or transform him into someone else… or something else. All for his sister and mother? He is…" (Kohaku)
"Very courageous." (Kuro)
The [esper] and his stepsister cast incredulous looks at the teenager with shadow powers. Noticing the two pairs of astonished eyes on him, Kuro made an annoyed grimace.
"What? To me, he's just an arrogant fool, with a ton of flaws… but I won't deny he has guts… especially considering his situation."
Who would have ever expected that among all of them, the very person who insulted him every day would compliment the silver-haired adolescent?
Certainly not Hajime, or the two girls. In fact, even Fumio would not have believed such a thing.
"You really are a tsundere." (Kohaku)
"Tsk, but shut up!" (Kuro)
"I agree." (Cloe)
"Not you too!" (Kuro)
As the three kids were trying to break the tension they were barely handling after almost witnessing their last teammate nearly die, their teacher was seeking to contact a specific individual from the computer room.
"Is it late? Is there an emergency?"
"Yes, something happened to Kamijo-san, Yukihime-sama..."
With a gray flash, Yukihime appeared beside the 30-year-old, startling him.
"Where!? What happened?! Didn't I tell you to take care of him!?"
In all the years Fumio had been with the [maga Omega], he had never witnessed an event that had unsettled her so much. It was truly the first time he had seen her so agitated.
"I'm sorry, Yukihime-sama, but his [Grimoire]…"
As she listened to the man's account and theories, the loli managed to calm down enough to think rationally.
"(I was careless… should I have sealed that [Grimoire]? No, I could have killed him… if I had erased his memory and sent him back to Japan, he would have been safe and far from all the chaos that is this island; after all, that woman doesn't deserve a son like him, and his little sister would have survived… but I could never do that. If he really is as similar to his father as I think, I doubt he'll have trouble getting into trouble even without doing anything.)" (Yukihime)
"Fumio-sensei!!!! Hajime is getting worse! His powers have reactivated and…!"
Kohaku rushed in, interrupting Yukihime's mental monologue. The woman's concern kicked into high gear again.
Not giving the [esper] even a moment to finish her sentence, the [maga Omega] used her out-of-scale speed to reach the infirmary.
The scene before her caused her to pause for an instant.
There, on the bed, while Kuro and Cloe tried to hold him down, was Hajime, covered in the blood he had vomited earlier, while electric currents coursed through his body.
"Impossible! His [mana] has already recharged! Yukihime-sama, we need to seal his power or..." (Fumio)
"No! I have a better idea!"
With one hand, exploiting her superhuman strength, the loli pinned Goto's stepson to the bed, while with the other hand, she held his head still.
The woman's fangs pierced the boy's skin, right on the neck where the carotid artery lay, but instead of sucking blood like a vampire, Yukihime began to absorb Hajime's [mana].
"(Is this really [mana]? It feels different… like it's something superior…)"
The [maga Omega] continued her work until she absorbed every single drop of [mana] the boy had in his body.
"For now, this should be enough. Fumio, help me. We need to seal the new [magic] that the [Grimoire] has granted him. It's clear that his body isn't ready for this."
"Yukihime-sama, if I may, I believe the best idea is to partially limit this new ability of his. If we seal it completely, it might explode in an attempt to break free."
"You're right. You three, out. We will save Hajime-kun, but you must not disturb us, no matter what happens."
"B-but..." (Cloe)
"Come on, Cloe-chan. We need to come up with something to justify Hajime's absence from home." (Kohaku)
Fumio and Yukihime agreed to let Kohaku handle the cover story for Goto's stepson. Fortunately, she had no problems hacking her teammate's phone remotely to send a message to Kaori and his mother, letting them know he wouldn't be coming home for the night.
******
A few hours later, Fumio and Yukihime had finished their work.
Hajime's power had been limited by 80%.
A complex circle with various symbols and geometric shapes drawn inside it, made of what appeared to be ice, had been inscribed around the boy's heart.
"This should be fine for now. But as long as the seal is visible, it's better we don't wake him." (Fumio)
"I agree, Fumio. Go notify the other three. They will be worried."
"Yes, but I have something to report first, Yukihime-sama: I already told you I was checking on the White family for Kamijo-san... well, maybe it's better to show you."
The 30-year-old [mage] showed the vampire a clear image of Kaede White's mother. For the second time in a few hours, Yukihime was shocked.
"She can't be alive!? Why is she here?!" (Yukihime)
"I can't tell you, Yukihime-sama. I know she moved to [Fumetsu] more than 20 years ago, a few years before her daughter was born. She kept a low profile before and after her marriage, but I'm certain that her family's affluent lifestyle is thanks to her; after all, money shouldn't be an issue for her, if it really is her." (Fumio)
"This could change everything… all our plans, our projects… if that woman were to join the [Black Corps], our chances of failure in our objectives would be 100%."
The two adults were understandably worried. The woman they were discussing was not someone to take lightly. She was too dangerous to be left free without knowing her motivations.
"Yukihime-sama, perhaps we could get rid of her if…"
"Impossible. Even if she has softened over these two decades, she remains too dangerous to face for anyone. No one could kill her quickly and cleanly without her fighting back. She could destroy this island to survive."
"So what do we do?"
"…I will go talk to her. Alone."
"But she is…!"
"I know. But there's no choice. I will evaluate her and look for a point of agreement."
The [maga Omega] sighed thoughtfully as she teleported away. Who would have thought her death would become so eventful?
"(Her… the [Scarlett Queen], another [maga Omega] at my level here... and no one noticed? Hajime-kun, I don't know whether to thank you or curse you for this; only thanks to you do we know about her now.)"