Chapter 12: The Greatest Is Usurpation
"Fast as the wind, swift as lightning"—a phrase describing extreme speed.
For Hikigaya, this was a power he truly possessed, so he generally got home very quickly.
Upon returning, Hikigaya first made a call to confirm that that damn Komachi was happily playing under the watch of a group of Yomi veterans, and that she would definitely return home before the start of the second semester. Only then did he feel at ease enough to call someone named Hazazi, a wizard of the Nine Gods Group, who was still hopelessly addicted to disasters and mistakes.
What, you think that just because the Nine Gods Group was doing poorly they wouldn't get a call? Come on, they might be trash at work, but they're not amateurs—they even know high-level skills like flying on planes!
This time, Hikigaya didn't plan to bring anyone along. The call to Hazazi was purely because he was the only contact Hikigaya had in the Nine Gods Group, and also because he was somewhat familiar with him.
Hazazi looked healthy and well-fed. The guy's little life in Japan was going very smoothly. Hikigaya had also heard that he was increasingly enjoying trips to the school; he even seemed disappointed when Komachi was on vacation.
Hikigaya gave him some instructions—basically to have the Nine Gods Group prepare some high-quality materials for making protective charms.
Since they were partners, Hikigaya didn't mind helping them stock up on supplies before his own travels.
"Partner" was a word Hikigaya liked. Not because he was some masochistic ruler type, but because as a modern man, he knew what it meant to have people kneel while secretly thinking they were being clever.
It was like in modern corporations: leading a company doesn't rely on docking paychecks. Truly skilled leaders believe there's nothing money can't fix; if one round isn't enough, just do another.
Hikigaya couldn't hand out money, but charms—he could make as many as he wanted. The world was his oyster. Want an auto-charging resurrection token usable once a year? Go ahead—over-deliver on your tasks and you get it!
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In the height of August, Hikigaya set foot on Egyptian soil once more.
Returning to the site of his previous battle with Horus, the place had become completely different.
The Nine Gods Group might not be as powerful as before, but long-term sealing of a piece of land was still doable.
The lake formed by Hikigaya's battle with Horus had become a massive pit. White prefab buildings surrounded it, linked by magical arrays to ensure that ordinary people couldn't approach.
To further guarantee absolute secrecy, the Nine Gods Group even mobilized their peripheral organization—ordinary people devoted to the old Egyptian gods.
"No magic? No problem, I can shoot!"
These so-called mercenaries outside were known as guardians here, nothing else.
"What if someone accidentally enters?" Simple. Didn't you see all the magical barriers? Anyone who enters must be a magician. If it's a magician, shoot him. Don't think bullets won't kill magicians? There are cannons over there—feel free.
Hikigaya saw exactly this scene.
Armed-to-the-teeth military personnel and cloaked, brooding wizards had completely seized this former Nile river channel. The Nine Gods Group diverted the Nile waters elsewhere; after all, this was Lower Egypt, the delta, where the Nile naturally changed course. The Nine Gods Group simply sentenced this channel in advance.
In short, with a generous reward, why wouldn't they put in maximum effort?
This made Hikigaya feel that his approach had been correct. The Nine Gods Group's enthusiasm exceeded even the Yomi Hand-to-Hand group, let alone the Committee.
Since becoming a god-slayer, Hikigaya had only experienced true utility in the Nine Gods Group.
This led him to quietly plan: henceforth, any major or minor matter related to the mystical side could go to the Nine Gods Group; non-mystical major matters also to them; minor matters and daily protection of Komachi to the Yomi Team.
"Where's the Committee?" you ask. Sorry, they're only useful for connecting Hikigaya to the Magic world. Beyond that, zero value.
Accompanied by Hazazi, Hikigaya entered the camp. Along the way, he could fully feel the fervor of the Nine Gods Group.
On the surface, this might seem odd—Hikigaya had killed gods they revered. But considering the origin of the Nine Gods Group, it made perfect sense.
Because worship can involve deception, and deception is a form of worship; usurpation is a million times greater than deception. Ever since a major event in the ancient era, this became the absolute worldview of the ancient Egyptian wizard society.
Since then, Egyptian wizards treated gods with absolute self-interest. The European idea of treating gods like fathers seemed utterly insane to them.
Bastards! Ever thought about your real dad? Mary, the mother of Jesus? Try giving birth in my Egyptian empire and see if you don't invent over ten thousand new ways!
Anyway, regardless of what the Nine Gods Group thought, Hikigaya stepped to the edge of the pit under their fanatic gaze.
Last time he had rushed, and the river hadn't been diverted, so he hadn't fully grasped the pit's true scale.
Now the waters had been drained, revealing the whole scene.
The pit was nearly a hundred meters deep, widest in the middle at several hundred meters.
Calling it a "giant pit" didn't suffice, but it was undeniably massive.
After observing for a while, Hikigaya turned back.
Next came the time to make protective charms—he had a premonition they would come in very handy.
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