Hotaru's story

As expected, it's consistent with the survey! We've found a huge crystal mine! It appears that my Treasure Exploration Machine 3.0 is very useful.

Fortunately, it didn't analyze fireflies as rare ore like 2.0 did. Great progress, Miss Scientist.

Well, stop looking back. It's in the past. When talking about science, you should always look forward!

Yeah... However, if you carefully observe the terrain, rock strata and vegetation here, you can tell that there are traces of human activity. Has this place been deliberately hidden before?

Hey, don't touch those crystals.

Eh? What's that sound? The rocks and plants... Seem to be moving?

Did we just lose the signal? Wait a minute, even the coordinate pointer is starting to spin! This isn't right... Did we trigger some kind of mechanism?

I suggest adding hazard prediction and alert procedures to 4.0. Miss Scientist, we're so lucky. This mechanism... Is probably something you don't know about.

Sorry, Miss Hotaru, but I have to correct you. First of all, it is only a matter of probability in science. There is no such thing as "luck".

Secondly, I don't believe that there's something I don't know. Everything can be explained by science!

Well, I guess I can't talk about luck and fortune with scientists. But under this situation... The person who set this up must be a Xuan Huang alchemist.

Is this the so-called Taoist Magic Array? The legendary wisdom left by ancient Chinese people?! I've wanted to try it for a long time. There is nothing that can't be solved by precise calculations!

To continue mining operations, the great Emma will start this challenge right away!

Why don't you put away your draft paper, Miss Scientist? To solve this, you need to have experience and a sense for things.

This so-called array is not a childish thing like a maze. Each of the three maze entrances that you can see now has three branches along the way, and there are more branches along those. With the deceptive tricks, you can't even tell the difference between each road.

Throughout this illusory process, you've already entered the Eight-Diagram Array someone set up. If you can't find the way out with the right order of images in the eight trigrams, you will end up at a dead end...

Well, there is no chance of collecting complete data. How are you gonna calculate it, Miss Scientist?

How could such a thing occur? It's not scientific... If we can't calculate it, how are we gonna get out?

This is simple. You've helped everyone come in. Now, let me help everyone get out.

How are you gonna do it, Miss Hotaru? Let me use a formula to help you... Wait, aren't you going to enter the entrance? Why are you running to the stone?!

Hah, do you really think this is a stone? Open your eyes and take a good look at it. When the array is formed, the battle has already begun!

Don't worry. Deceptive tricks have a high fault tolerance. I'll make a way out with my Dragonhowl. Slash!

Miss Hotaru is impressive. I don't understand how you broke the array, but I think you are amazing...

I will keep a good record of today's battle. I must find out the result of your experience and sense so that we can deduce a formula...

Well, whatever you want. Your persistence is quite admirable. But first of all, it's not easy to solve the array.

I was able to make my judgment earlier like that because I've been learning these kinds of things since childhood.

Thank you for your support, but I still have some questions about the fight... The one who set this up must be a big shot. Someone who was able to command Nightmares to help them complete the array and attack the enemy. Do you have any clue about this, Miss Hotaru?

Ah, I probably know who did this... I used to fight against an organization.

That was... Before I came to Phoenix...

If you want to break the Eight-Diagram Array, you must pay attention to the environment, plants, wind direction, architecture, exit and so on.

I set up an enemy in the array. Be careful, Hotaru!

Don't worry, Dad. We've been waiting for this a long time.

From Wu to Xin... The Long Snake enters the Pillar. Kan of the eight trigrams... Here, the Hide Door!

Next...

Hotaru, what are you doing! Don't break in!

Hmph, don't look down on me! Yang 7 Structure. Death Descends... Three Palaces!

Roar---

Hotaru!

You knew it's a dead gate but you still broke in! What the hell are you thinking!

Tut, why are you so mad..? I'm OK, aren't I? The heir of Kendo Dojo shouldn't be so vulnerable.

But you, dad. You're teaching me all these things every day so that I can protect mom when you suddenly disappear, right?

Hotaru, you...

Yes, I've known that for a long time! Dad, why can't you just run the Kendo Dojo in the countryside? What on earth are you doing behind your family's back?

Sorry, Hotaru. I... There are some things that I have to do.

What is more important to you than your mom and I?

You're too young, Hotaru. Everyone has their duties. The world... is not how it looks.

Eh, let's not talk about this. I thought I needed to wait for longer, but I think it's the right time now.

Hotaru, this note is the summary of my alchemy knowledge and some secret skills that are too late for me to practice. Look after it.

...So, are you leaving again?

How long will it be this time? A month? Half a year? Or...

Hotaru has grown up. When I'm away, help me protect your mother and protect the mountain village we live in, understand?

...Liar, you never tell me when you'll come back. You lie to me every time!

Hotaru, promise me that you will take good care of yourself. When I come back, I'll tell you everything.

I will come back, I will do my best to come back...

Strange marks had been found at the entrance of the village. And more were found in other places around the village over the past few days...

I knew it... The final target is the Kendo Dojo. Did father cause trouble somewhere? Fortunately, I've been practicing swordsmanship and alchemy the whole time. Otherwise, I would have no way to handle this, stupid dad!

The spells set on the eaves and trees have been destroyed. I guess there isn't only one person who did this, and they must be experts...

I need to comfort mom to fall asleep early... Tonight, I'm gonna meet these sneaky people!

Hmph, I thought you are some kind of big shot. I didn't expect you to be so vulnerable. Come on, tell me what you are here for!

How come... The arrays we set have all been...

Oh, well, I just made some small changes to reverse its function.

Tsk, you have proven yourself as the daughter of Kamiizumi... You are so proficient with arrays. It looks like he gave you his notes.

Notes? You want them? Hmph, as long as you have the ability to take them!

Hahaha, you have them with you, how easy! The "Bone Dragon" will revive tonight!

"Bone Dragon"? ...The legendary monster is recorded in that notebook? Is it...

Your father didn't tell you why he came here to live in seclusion? Yes, the great "Bone Dragon" monster is sealed in the mountain behind this village!

As long as the notes for breaking the seal are placed in the middle of the array, the resurrection will take place!

So the marks in the village weren't left to determine the location of the Dojo, but...

The whole village is part of the resurrection array!!! That's not good!

Tsk, is it too late? Dad, how could you leave this to me!!!

I don't believe that this kind of deceiving legend is true... Tsk.

Roar---

Bang---

Tsk, if things go on like this, not only will the Bone Dragon revive, but the whole village will be in danger...

What should I do? What should I do?

What's going on? Bone Dragon... What is that?

Dragonhowl!!!

No! Don't let the girl get that sword!!!

Mighty God, please subdue the dragon by manipulating its bones, freezing its soul and driving away its spirit! Abracadabra!

Seal!

Roar---

Bang---

She... Resealed it?! The strength of the newly unsealed Bone Dragon hasn't been fully recovered, but...

Wei Xuancheng, who slew the dragon in the dream, chose this girl to be a Radiant?!

Phew... Well, I don't understand what you're saying, but I guess your plan is in vain now, hah!

We have to go back and report it to that Lord now! Let's go!

Stop! You think you can run away!!!

You know my dad, don't you? Where is he now?! Who's "That Lord"?!

You!...

...This has been the forth local-scale fire, but there were no signs of human interference at the fire scenes. We suspect that these were premeditated Nightmare incidents. We would like to visit the Dream linked to this city. We hope that you can cooperate with us.

Thank you for your attention. Please say hello to miss Angela and Mr. Camille, officers. As for what you said, we did find signs of Nightmare Lord activity in our Dream. As it happens, the investigators are back.

Huh? Even SEED was alerted? I suspect that the troublemaker is probably Uroboros. We need some help.

I'd like to help. So what's the situation now?

These are not four meaningless cases. After all, I've learned my lessons in this kind of regional circle. Judging from the connection between the locations of the cases, I suspect that it's a reverse pentagram array, and the center of the array is the Phoenix Building. Once the array is completed, nothing will exist here.

To prove my hypothesis, I investigated the last possible site that can probably complete the circle. There were signs of witchcraft already.

Now, can we wait for the enemy in these two places to ambush them?

Of course, this is only one aspect. I've arranged the rest.

No wonder people call you alchemy master, Hotaru. You think you can destroy the array just like that? How naive of you.

If disasters occur in the five corresponding directions of the reverse pentagram array, even if they are only small disasters, it will bring disaster to the central region.

Battle, of course, is one kind of disaster. Which means, no matter whether the original arrangement here works or not, the reverse pentagram array will still be completed.

You knew that I may find out about this array, but you still acted recklessly. Is that why you're not afraid of anything?

Look how smart you are. That's right, but even if you know everything now, what can you do with me, Hotaru?

Well, if that's the case, then there's nothing I can do about you... But, have you heard of the Five-element Array?

This is an ancient array composed of metal, water, wood, fire and earth. Once it is formed, the center of the array can be protected. Also, its Fengshui can be improved too.

You... Did you?!

I asked consortium members to work overtime so they could make some small changes to your array.

For example, they moved a batch of plants and minerals, and loosened the soil in the wilderness. I even asked Nanalie to freeze a large area...

You changed the reverse pentagram array into...?!

Now it's time to complete the last part, the fire attribute. This array has now become a Five-element Array. Thank you for fighting so hard. That helped greatly.

Hahaha... Great, Hotaru, I won't forget what you did today. You won this time, but I guess "That Lord" will be more disappointed with human beings after this, hahaha!

Bang---

Don't try to escape!

This is... Thunder?! Don't move!

Oh, the Lord is coming to pick me up. Hotaru, do you want to know who "That Lord" is? I don't want to tell you too much, or else the Lord will be angry. However, as long as you can find him, you can probably find the man with the same light blond hair as yours.

You mean! My father... Where is he?

Isn't it more interesting to find out the answer yourself? I can't wait to see your face when you see him, Hotaru.

Knowing divinations is not about accepting fate, but about changing it. Waiting for opportunities is actually just doing nothing until the end.

Compared with the painstaking deployment, I'm much more suited to actual war.

In the end, I still don't know who this "bad" belongs to? I have to ask my Dragonhowl!

Wait and see, "That Lord"... And wait for me, dad...