Around the time Yuuya was heading to the underworld.
At Ousei Academy, the student council president, Kitaraku, was finally moving forward with the school idol project.
"Now, the most important idol candidates and Yuuya-kun have been secured."
"Huh… you're really going to go ahead… with it now that you've come this far, but what's next?"
"Right… after all, when it comes to idols, the stage is important, isn't it?"
"Well, that's right."
"But I don't have the know-how for that!"
"Even if you say it so refreshingly… then what are you going to do about it?"
In response to Nekota's question, Kitaraku smiled.
"As a matter of fact, I'm going to ask for help from Star Productions, which has connections with our academy."
"Eh?"
The company that Kitaraku mentioned is a leading entertainment agency to which Miu and Kanade belong, and it has been involved with Ousei Academy in many events, such as ball games and school festivals.
"Besides having a large number of entertainers, they also have Kanade, whom we invited to the school festival. The direction of the idol project is different, but the setting of the stage is the same."
"I-I see…"
"Besides, I already have their contact information!"
"When did you get that?"
The teachers had forcibly pulled him off the stage, but behind their backs, Kitaraku had been able to get a hold of a variety of contacts.
"I'll have to get in touch with them right away!"
"Oh, hey!"
Before Nekota could stop him, Kitaraku was already on the move.
After successfully making an appointment, he visited the agency once again.
＊＊＊
"──I see. So that's why you came to us."
"That's an impressive plan…"
The president of the company smiled amusedly in front of Kitaraku, who visited the office, while employee Kurosawa had an indescribable expression on her face.
"So, what do you think? Can you help us?"
"Hmm… as for me, it's an interesting project, and I'd be happy to help you, but…"
"President. If you decide so easily…"
When Kurosawa was about to say so, the president restrained her with her hand.
"Of course, it's not so easy for us to decide just like that. We have our own work to do, and more importantly… we don't know how much it will benefit us because there is no precedent."
"….."
With the company on her shoulders, the president could not proceed just because it looked interesting.
However, Kitaraku already had a card in his hand to persuade the president.
"Certainly, it is a new venture, and there is no doubt that there are many uncertainties. But I am already convinced that this attempt will be a success."
"Heh? Why is that?"
"Since you have already been to our school, you have seen our students, and there are many very attractive students at Ousei Academy."
"That's true. They were all idol-caliber girls. Right, Kurosawa?"
"Yes. I wanted to bring some of them out of the school."
"But it's a mistake to think that just being cute is enough to attract attention when it comes to idols. What do you think about that?"
The president shot a sharp look at Kitaraku.
However, Kitaraku is not intimidated by this gaze and smiles.
"──Yuuya Tenjou."
"!?"
"He is the key to this project."
"Don't tell me he's going to be an idol!"
The president and Kurosawa, who had once been rejected by Yuuya to enter the entertainment business, were surprised by Kitaraku's statement, as they had not expected Yuuya's name to be mentioned.
"No, we are only going to have him work as the person in charge of this project. But… if the school idol project progresses, he will be forced to take the front stage. There is no way he won't attract attention then."
"That's…"
"Besides, I'm thinking of having him work as a school idol eventually."
"Wha!?"
"Is that… possible? He has refused to enter the entertainment industry before…"
In response to Kurosawa's concern, Kitaraku nodded.
"There is no problem. Perhaps he refused to enter the entertainment industry because of his earnestness and sense of responsibility… School idols are only for the time they are students. In other words, as long as he has a fixed period to be active, I believe the emotional hurdle would be less than if he were to enter the entertainment industry as an ordinary person."
"I-I see…"
"And if he tries out as a school idol.. he might even be interested in the entertainment industry, right?"
For the president, who is interested in obtaining Yuuya, Kitaraku's proposal was an attractive one.
The president broke out in a cold sweat, not expecting one student to think this far ahead.
"…You're quite good at this."
"No, no, I'm still inexperienced. So… will you cooperate with us?"
──Thus, it was decided that Star Productions would fully cooperate with the school idol project of the Ousei Academy.
＊＊＊
"Huh! …This place!?"
The moment I passed through the black vortex, I felt the presence of death… or spiritual power, clinging to my body.
This spiritual power is not something that resides in my body but something that fills the underworld.
The most surprising thing of all was that the moment I passed through the black vortex, the scenery around me changed in an instant.
The entire underworld was dimly lit, and as I had sensed earlier, there was a sense of heaviness, as if there was spiritual power floating all around me.
On top of that, from out of nowhere, I could hear the roar of probable demons.
What would you call it…? An underground world? Anyway, that's the impression I got.
But the thing that caught my eye the most was a luxurious building that was out of place in such an underworld.
"This is…"
"This is the residence of Reimei-sama. Please come this way."
As I was stunned by the presence of the building in front of me, Ikkaku-san led the way.
I followed his guidance and was soon brought to a large hall.
And then──.
"Reimei-sama. I have brought you Yuuya Tenjou-kun-sama."
"!"
"──Thank you for your hard work."
A quiet but dignified voice echoed through the hall.
The only thing is, just by hearing the voice, you naturally feel such power that you want to kneel down on the spot.
T-to think that someone could have this kind of power… what in the world is a Reimei-sama…!?
I was surprised, but when I turned my gaze toward the voice──.
"I'm Reimei!"
"…..Eh?"
──There was a little girl there, dressed like Enma from an old tale. In response to my surprise, the girl said, "Am I cool?" With her chest puffed out.
I was stunned by the unexpected situation, and the girl noticed my appearance.
"Hmm… You can't even speak in front of my majesty, can you? Good, good! I have brought you here for my own reasons. Make yourself comfortable."
"Huh! Y-yes."
I couldn't help but freeze up… Judging from Ikkaku-san and the other oni gathered in this hall, and thinking of the girl's comment, she must be the Reimei-sama.
She may appear like a little girl, but she rules such a large underworld. I guess she is not as young as she appears to be.
I steeled myself once again, and Reimei-sama's eyes narrowed as she inspected me.
"Hou? As I recall, your name is… Yuuya Tenjou, right? You don't seem to underestimate me, do you?"
"Eh? Ah, yes… well, I was surprised, but I thought appearances can be deceiving…"
There are all kinds of people in the world.
I was surprised at the appearance of Reimei-sama, but on second thought, Zenovis-san was a more unbelievable existence from my point of view…
Thinking this, Reimei-sama smiled with satisfaction.
"Umu, umu! You have good instincts! I like you!"
"T-thank you…?"
"…Reimei-sama. I think it's time to get down to business…"
"Oh, that's right."
Ikkaku-san whispered in her ear, and Reimei-sama looked at me with a serious expression on her face.
"Yuuya. I called you because I want to borrow your power."
"My power, you say…?"
"Umu. The truth is, the underworld is in a great deal of trouble right now. As you may already know, demons from the underworld have escaped into your world. The reason for this is that the boundary between the underworld and your world has temporarily disappeared."
According to Reimei-sama, the underworld is a land of the dead, and originally, a boundary line was drawn by her power to prevent the beings of my world from wandering into the underworld.
However, with the disappearance of that boundary and the disappearance of the seal that imprisoned demons within the underworld, some demons have escaped into the present world.
I wondered why that boundary had suddenly disappeared…
"The reason for the disappearance of the boundary line is… because of the false god you defeated."
"Eh?"
I was surprised to learn that it was caused by a being that I had not expected.
"As you know, the false gods have the power to annihilate everything they touch with their hands. This power does not change even when only the soul remains… As a result, when the soul of the false god arrived in the underworld, it annihilated all the boundaries it touched with its hands."
"No way…"
"So! I really need your help."
"With my power… W..well, what can I do?"
When I asked this, Reimei-sama's face took on a somewhat sad expression.
"…You have to seal a certain being."
"A certain being?"
"Yes. She is called Meiko. She is a being born in the underworld."
I tilted my head when I heard that explanation.
In the underworld…? This is the world where the dead end up, isn't it…? And yet, how can something be born in this world?
No, perhaps both the demons and Reimei-sama are beings born in this world?
Then, Reimei-sama seemed to read my thoughts like that and continued speaking.
"I understand what you are thinking. This underworld is indeed the land of the dead. Something is not born anew. The demons here were originally different beings, and they became demons because they have lived in the underworld for so many years."
"T-then, what exactly is this Meiko…?"
"Meiko is… a being born from the crystallization of all the evil intentions of the demons in the underworld."
When I heard those words, what came to my mind was the existence of Evil in the different world.
That, too, was born from the crystallization of the malice that arose in the other world of Argena.
Does that mean that this Meiko is the same kind of being?
That's what I thought…
"I've been researching, and it seems that there is a similar existence in a certain world. But it is nothing compared to that. The one you know of is… called 'Evil,' I believe. It is a being with a will, a being in which the malice of the world is actualized. On the other hand… Meiko is the crystallization of the malice of the ultimate sinners imprisoned in the lowest levels of the underworld. How many years do you think it took for the souls of the dead sinners to drift down to this underworld? The negative power of a single world is not enough to bring about the quality and quantity of the souls of the deadly sinners."
"….."
I couldn't help but be struck by Reimei-sama's words.
I can't believe that even Avis, the "God of Destruction" with that mighty power, or the most powerful 'Evil' in the past with Zenovis-san, are no match for Meiko…
"How can I fight against such a being…?"
"It's impossible for you right now. Above all, it is said that you have only just awakened your powers. You haven't even mastered the art of sealing with your spiritual power yet, have you?"
"Then how?"
"Ikkaku. Bring those people here."
"Eh?"
I asked, and Reimei-sama called out to Ikkaku-san.
"You will need to seal Meiko by your own hand, but I will not spare you any assistance in getting there. In other words, you will have to do a little training here."
"Training?"
"Yes. We have a master for that──"
"──We're here."
"I'm looking forward to working with you."
"Oh! You must be Yuuya! I've heard so much about you from myself in the present world!"
"!"
Reimei-sama's words were interrupted by three voices.
When I turned my gaze in the direction of the voices, I saw an old man wearing a tattered cloth, a woman with a beaming smile, and Kuuya-san, whom I had left on Earth.
For a moment, I was surprised to see Kuuya-san there, but the Kuuya-san on Earth is a thought body sealed in a scroll, not the main body.
In other words, Kuuya-san here must be the main body.
The old man's clothes were in tatters, but he did not look dirty.
This is probably due to the atmosphere that the old man exudes. His back is not bent, and he even looks somewhat graceful.
And the woman wears a gentle air, and I feel my heart naturally relax.
Are these the people who will be my mentors in the underworld?
I can say that this is definitely the first time I've met the woman, but…
I had a strange feeling when I saw the old man. I did not feel as if I was meeting this old man for the first time.
I was puzzled, but the old man smiled kindly.
"It's been a long time, Yuuya."
"Eh?"
It's been a long time? That means we definitely haven't met for the first time.
Then this person is…?
Then the old man saw me puzzled and gave a wry smile.
"I see… this is the first time you've seen me at this age."
Then the old man looked straight at me again.
"I am Zenovis. Yuuya, it's nice to see you again."
"Eh?"
I froze at the old man's words.
Zenovis. That was the name of the sage who had changed everything in my life.
And if I look closely at the old man in front of me, I can see the face of Zenovis-san.
In other words, this man is──.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhh!"
My exclamation echoed through the underworld.