"I, Akatsuki Kojou, successor to the blood of "Kaleid Blood", now release your constraints. Come ....Ninth Familiar: Al-Nasl-Minium!"
A twin-horned horse with deep crimson mane burst forth from Kojou Akatsuki's body, its immense magical power wreaking havoc around him.
Nearby, a woman with an adorably youthful face nodded in satisfaction.
Her name was Mimori Akatsuki, mother to Kojou and Nagisa Akatsuki, and the head researcher of MAR's medical department. A certified clinical mage-physician, she possessed contact-based sensory abilities for medical treatment.
Last night, Kojou had brought Yuma Tokoyogi here, seeking his mother's help.
Yuma Tokoyogi was now recovering in the medical ward. Having become Kojou's blood companion and receiving treatment from Mimori, she was no longer in critical condition, though she still needed time to heal fully.
It was also Mimori who had given her troublesome son, Kojou, a thorough scolding.
This reckless kid of hers was always causing her headaches.
"Hey, is this good enough?"
"You little punk, I'm your mom, and you dare call me 'hey'?"
Thwack!
With that, she smacked Kojou on the head, leaving him fuming but too afraid to talk back.
As for Yuiri Haba and Shio Hikawa, the two outsiders nearby, Mimori paid them no mind. They, in turn, showed no interest in what was happening.
After the Lion King Organization had given them that order, they had completely given up hope.
While they'd lost faith in the Lion King Organization, they couldn't help but envy Yukina Himeragi and Sayaka Kirasaka. All of them were sword shamans or war dancers, so why was their treatment so vastly different?
"Kojou, how many familiars can you control now?"
"Uh, Number Four: Silver Mist Shell, Number Five: Golden Lion, and Number Nine: Twin-Horned Crimson."
"Three familiars, huh? Still a bit lacking."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Last night, the Prison Barrier was destroyed. According to reliable intel, both the Witch of the Void and the Librarian Witch have fallen under that demon king's command."
"Natsuki-chan too—"
A flicker of regret crossed Kojou's face. Natsuki Minamiya had looked out for him quite a bit back at the academy.
Especially before August showed up, she'd been one of the few who knew his true identity.
"Kid, I'm going to ask you something serious now. Are you truly prepared?"
"Why bring that up all of a sudden?"
"That demon king is definitely after the Fourth Progenitor's power. That means you're absolutely his target. If you can't master as many familiars as possible, and fast, the only thing waiting for you is death."
"Death—"
Kojou instinctively clenched his fists, a glint of killing intent flashing in his eyes.
Even though he'd once been an ordinary person, now that he wielded the Fourth Progenitor's power, some ambition had naturally taken root. Death was something he couldn't accept.
Having just gained such incredible strength, he hadn't even had the chance to do anything with it. How could he just die like this?
"What do I need to do?"
"The simplest way is to find powerful mediums, drink their blood, and control as many familiars as you can. If you can master all of them, then as the Fourth Progenitor—the strongest progenitor in the world—you'll be invincible."
"Invincible?"
Hearing even his own mother say it, Kojou couldn't deny it—he was tempted.
No one was without ambition, and he was no exception. Especially after the humiliations he'd suffered because of August, and now facing the threat of death, he wasn't about to sit idly by.
"Oh, right, Kojou. Isn't there a girl in your class named Asagi Aiba? Doesn't she like you? She'd be a perfect candidate."
"Asagi? She's closer to August now."
"Hm?"
"I heard from Natsuki-chan that when the Black Death Emperor Faction attacked Asagi and kidnapped her, it was August who saved her. After that, the two of them got pretty close."
"The Black Death Emperor Faction, huh—"
Mimori narrowed her eyes slightly. Back then, Kojou and Nagisa had also had a run-in with the Black Death Emperor Faction.
As for August, she found him genuinely troublesome. The man was shrouded in mystery—no trace of him could be found anywhere in the world, as if he'd appeared out of thin air.
Before, she hadn't cared much about what happened to Kojou. As the Fourth Progenitor, he was destined to become the ruler of an empire.
But things were different now. August's emergence had sparked a sense of crisis in her. She feared her son wouldn't have time to grow into that role.
Though she acted indifferent toward Kojou on the surface, he was still her flesh and blood. How could she not care?
Ding-dong!
At that moment, the doorbell rang, catching both Mimori and Kojou off guard.
Kojou didn't think much of it and went to open the door. This was his mom's workplace—random people couldn't just waltz in. The only ones who'd come here were either him or his sister, Nagisa.
"Nagisa, you're here—"
He opened the door mid-sentence, only to freeze when he saw who was standing there. It wasn't Nagisa, but a group of women—all strikingly beautiful.
Kojou stood there, dumbfounded. Who were these people? Were they here for his mom?
"You must be the Fourth Progenitor, Lord Kojou Akatsuki."
"I'm Kojou Akatsuki. Who are you?"
"Greetings, Lord Kojou Akatsuki. We are maids sent by Duke Vatler to serve you."
The leader gave a slight bow, and the others behind her followed suit.
By then, Mimori had walked over. She eyed the five charming women, noting their varied ages—ranging from thirteen to twenty.
"Sent by Vatler?"
"Yes. Duke Vatler said you require mediums. While our talents may not qualify us to be your queens, we are more than capable of serving as concubines."
"Wait, hold on a second! Don't just decide that on your own! Since when did I say I wanted concubines or queens?"
"Lord Kojou, don't you need mediums right now?"
"I—"
Kojou faltered. She was right—he did need mediums.
"What's there to hesitate about? A progenitor should act like one. These are mediums delivered right to your doorstep."
Mimori spoke up, shoving Kojou aside and ushering in the five deep-sea girls who had previously served Vatler.
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