Chapter 8

There's an original protagonist Among Us

The Holy Beast Chokmah, who appeared from another world. The Savers, led by En, struggled against the onslaught of a mighty archangel wielding lightning.

The one who saved them from this desperate situation was En's childhood friend, Akari. She had made a pact with the Holy Beast Chesed and gained his power!

And with a powerful blow from the four of them combined, the Savers barely managed to drive Chokmah away.

However, as he departed, the words of his curse echoed... Could it be a sign of a new battle to come?

Exhausted, Chesed warned En and the others:

『Their name is the Sefirot’s Ten Archangels… This world is doomed.』

That was the plot of the original anime "Fairy Savers."

And now, here’s what actually happened in this world:

The powerful Holy Beast Chokmah, who emerged from another world, claimed to be one of the Sefirot’s Ten Archangels. His overwhelming power tormented En and the others.

At this rate, the whole town would be reduced to ashes…! As the three warriors lay defeated, out of the light appeared Mea, with white wings spread wide upon her back.

“Leave, Chokmah. This is not the world where you belong.”

The Savers, barely holding on with this unexpected help, wondered, "Mea, just who are you?"

But Chokmah was strong. Even Mea’s power wasn’t enough, and the town fell into a dire situation.

At that moment, the phantom thief T.P. Eight Olishua appeared! She suddenly healed En and the others with her mysterious abilities, then bestowed upon them the strength of the "Dark Phoenix" to fight the angel.

What is her true goal? While still questioning her motives, En and the others, with Eight’s aid, finally managed to defeat the powerful Chokmah!

"Hope has been trampled... Will it be them who seize the possibility, or..."

The angels' descent—was it a sign of an unprecedented crisis looming over Earth?

Yes, that’s roughly how the summary goes!

There’s… a lot of information to unpack.

I feel like I’ve been confronted with the challenges of handling multiple original protagonists in a fanfiction. I tried to avoid things getting too chaotic compared to the original, but once it’s all written out, it ends up feeling messier than the original work.

As for my self-assessment on this original protagonist move, I’d say about 75 points. Considering all the irregularities, it's a passing grade, but I still regret not handling it better. It’s like the feeling you get right after a final exam.

Well, let’s switch gears quickly. I’ll take what I learned from this session and apply it next time. That’s the privilege of being an original protagonist.

And now, the next issue is what happens after this.

In terms of the events of the original work, the key points here are that the human world is being targeted by the holy beasts, the existence of the Sefirot’s Ten Archangels is revealed, and Akari-chan becomes an additional warrior. In the original, Chesed took care of all that. Haha, that kid really is an important character. Hahaha…

Well, those three points are generally covered in this version.

Chokmah, who seemed even angrier than in the original work, boldly declared the human world as a target and revealed the Sefirot’s Ten Archangels, so that’s cleared. He must’ve been really pissed off.

As for the flag for Akari-chan to become the additional warrior, that unfortunately got broken. This will have major repercussions later, so I’ll need to start coming up with a solution now.

Anyway, since the current flow hasn’t diverged too much from the original work, I think the next part should also follow the course of the original work.

That would be the formation of the Savers' envoy protection squad and their entry into the other world. It’s time to dive into the isekai arc.

Starting tomorrow morning, we’re jumping right in, so I’ll head to the scene too!

The city of Akebono, most of which had been reduced to ruins in the previous fierce battle, now had a swirling gate in the sky—a portal leading to the other world, which was the source of this catastrophe.

The gate Chokmah passed through was the largest ever observed, and even after a full night had passed, it still remained. Beneath that ominous gate, the Savers headquarters gathered the survivors for an emergency meeting.

At the center of the group stood Mea, a silver-haired girl with white wings sprouting from her back—an appearance that could only be described as angelic. She revealed everything she knew to the group.

“…So, in the world of the Holy Beasts—the Fairy World—there’s a plan for a full-scale assault on our world?”

The first to speak after her explanation was Mitsui Akihiro, the commander of the Savers. He was also Mea’s guardian, and while he was relieved that she had regained part of her memory, he faced her now as the leader of the organization.

Mea nodded deeply in response to his question.

“Yes… The attack is being led by the Sefirot's Ten Archangels… the guardian angels of Fairy World, including Chokmah and Chesed… One of them, Chesed, is the Holy Beast whose heart now resides within Mea.”

“I see. So, the memories of that angel, ‘Chesed,’ have awakened within you, right, Mea-kun?”

“That’s right. Chesed is one of the Sefirot’s angels, but he was conflicted… Even though some humans did terrible things to the Holy Beasts, there were kind people too…”

“So, not all of them are united in their purpose.”

The meeting's main figure, Mea, nervously began revealing more information about the Holy Beasts. The angel Chesed had come to this world in an effort to prevent a clash between the human world and the world of the Holy Beasts. However, he had been captured by PSYence, and his essence was harvested, resulting in his heart being implanted in Mea’s body.

After hearing the painful truth, En and the others closed their eyes in silent mourning.

The Holy Beast, who might have been a peace envoy, had been used by evil forces. The group clenched their teeth in silent fury.

Breaking the heavy silence was Rikidou Chouta.

“…So, what do we do next?”

There was plenty of room for regret. But what mattered now was how to confront the looming crisis threatening the human world. Akihiro raised his head at Chouta’s question and turned to ask Mea another.

Although she was the youngest among them, her information was their only lead at the moment.

“…If their plan goes into action, we will have no choice but to defend this town. Mea-kun, is there no way to negotiate with the Holy Beasts anymore?”

There were still eight more of the Sefirot’s Ten Archangels remaining, excluding Chesed and Chokmah. Even if they gathered all of the country’s military forces, they would stand no chance in a direct fight.

That’s why Akihiro wanted to pursue a solution through dialogue, hoping to avoid war at all costs.

“There is. Many of the Holy Beasts hate humans, but not all of them want war… There are others like Chesed who are conflicted.”

Despite her faltering speech, Mea looked Akihiro directly in the eye, her gaze filled with determination.

As her guardian for the past year, Akihiro understood what she was about to say next.

He also painfully understood the harsh reality that it was the only option they had left.

“Mea will go to the Fairy World.”

“…I see…”

It was impossible for him to feel any joy about this decision.

“Holy Beasts and humans can understand each other if they talk. Mea will go to convey Chesed’s wishes.”

Her face was young, but as she spoke of her mission, she had the same resolute expression as the warriors who had fought the town’s evildoers.

As an adult, he couldn’t simply approve of such a dangerous proposal, but he knew her resolve would not be easily shaken.

The contrast between ideals and reality weighed heavily on him, and with a sigh, Tsubasa stepped in to point out the issue in place of Akihiro.

“But the question is, will they even listen? Chokmah, for example, was furious when Mea-chan tried to talk to him. He shouted, ‘How dare a human speak the words of a Holy Beast!’” [Tsubasa]

“Yeah, Mea knows” [Mea]

“Tsubasa, be more considerate.” [Akihiro]

“Of course, I believe Mea-chan’s intentions are genuine. But just throwing words at them won’t necessarily make them listen, right?” [Tsubasa]

“That’s true, but… what other choice is there?” [Mea]

Given that Holy Beasts had emotions like humans, it was clear that their anger wouldn’t be easily appeased. On the other hand, humans were also suffering from the damage caused, so they had their own grievances.

“That’s the problem.”

If they tried to convince an enemy with whom trust was at rock bottom, it would likely only feel provocative. Some of the more moderate Holy Beasts might listen, but when they brought up Chokmah as an example, everyone fell silent.

“Hey, doesn’t that Sefi-whatsit angel have a leader or something above them?”

“Eh?”

As the meeting reached a deadlock, Rikidou Chouta suddenly spoke up with an interesting suggestion.

“Chesed and that Chokmah guy are angels of the Holy Beasts, right? So, doesn’t that mean there’s a god above them?” [Chouta]

“You're suggesting we have their god mediate the talks with the angels? It’s a bold idea… but if it’s possible, it might work.” [Akihiro]

“Right!? Man, I’m a genius!” [Chouta]

If there was no other way, they could appeal to a higher authority—like convincing a superior to give orders. However, in this case, the issue was that the difference in status was extreme.

But Mea, who knew about the inner workings of the Holy Beasts' world through Chesed, spoke up.

“…It might actually be possible.” [Mea]

“! Really?” [Akihiro]

“Yes. The one currently managing Fairy World is the king of the Sefirot's Ten Archangels, ‘Keter.’ But above Keter, the angels have a father… the Holy Dragon, Ein Sof.” [Mea]

The group gasped collectively. The Holy Dragon was a being with more authority than even the greatest of the archangels—a god, essentially.

That very Holy Dragon had also greatly influenced the human world throughout history. The group was stunned by the enormity of the situation.

“The Holy Dragon… I never thought we’d hear that name,” Akihiro Mitsui, the commander, sighed, pressing his hand to his forehead as if to stave off a headache. The tension in his gut was almost becoming strangely pleasant.

“Ein Sof… So that’s why Eight knew…” En muttered, pieces of a puzzle finally clicking into place.

The Holy Dragon was an entity that could be called the origin of the "supernatural abilities" that everyone knew about. It was a being so powerful that many in the human world worshipped it. Hearing its true name caused dizziness among most of those present, overwhelmed by the scale of the conversation.

“The ultimate big shot, huh… So the legendary dragon was the god of the Holy Beasts all along!” Rikidou Chouta, as simple-minded as ever, was the only one who remained unfazed.

Mea confirmed his interpretation.

“Ein Sof is currently sleeping, having entrusted the management of Fairy World to the Ten Archangels. But before he went to sleep, he was always troubled by the inability of humans and Holy Beasts to get along… That’s why, if Mea conveys Chesed’s feelings to Ein Sof, Mea thinks he’ll help. Even Chokmah and the others would surely listen to Ein Sof’s words…” [Mea]

“…We’ll have to bet on it…” [Akihiro]

It was a dangerous gamble, one where the odds were not in their favor. The mere thought of negotiating with such a powerful being filled them with fear of failure.

In the midst of the group’s hesitation, the one to step forward was Akatsuki En, the captain of the Saver’s mobile unit.

“Let’s go. To the world of the Holy Beasts.” [En]

“En?” [Akihiro]

“Even if the chances are slim… if we can negotiate with the angels and avoid a war, then it’s up to those of us who can act now to do it.” [En]

“Alright, it’s decided!” [Chouta]

“Wait, are you saying we’re going alone?” [Tsubasa]

“We don’t have time to gather allies. Who knows when the gate Chokmah used might disappear? Besides… the next time the gate opens, it could be the start of the war.” [En]

“…tch.” [Tsubasa]

Time was of the essence. They had to do whatever it took to prevent an all-out war with beings that could destroy their world.

With En’s resolve firm, Akihiro nodded, slammed his hand on the desk, and stood up.

“Understood. Let’s move forward with this plan.” [Akihiro]

“Commander!” [En]

Rising from his chair, Akihiro declared, “I’ll convince the higher-ups,” before turning to Mea and ruffling her hair. His awkward but affectionate gesture made her smile brightly.

“T-thank you… O-otou-san…”

“Just make sure you come back alive. That’s my one and only condition.”

“Yes… I will…!”

Determined to bear the responsibility himself, Akihiro made his decision. Whether negotiations with the god succeeded or failed, this would be the Saver’s final battle.

Participation in the mission was not mandatory. With those final words, the meeting was adjourned.

──Later, it was officially decided that Akihiro, as their representative, and Mea, as their envoy, along with three Savers to protect her, would travel to the other world.

But just as the decision was being finalized, the door to the meeting room burst open, and in came Rikidou Chouta, shouting, “Sorry I’m lateeee!” His sudden entrance left everyone in the room wide-eyed with astonishment.

A man quietly slipped out of the bustling meeting room.

It was Rikidou Chouta, a muscular man with a pompadour. Once outside, he stretched and turned his neck as he basked in the sunlight. Not long after, a voice called out to him—the Saver's own Kazaoka Tsubasa, who had followed him outside.

"Hold it, Phantom Thief."

"...Hmm?"

He—no, she—stopped and turned at his call.

"Heading out already? At least stay for lunch."

“Fuh…”

A soft chuckle escaped the girl he had called out to. Before Tsubasa’s eyes, the figure, who had appeared to be the towering and muscular "Rikidou Chouta," transformed like magic into a delicate girl.

She shook out the royal blue cape hanging from her tailcoat, patted down the wrinkles in her long skirt, and straightened her appearance before turning around slowly.

"As expected. When did you figure it out?" she asked with an impressed smile.

Tsubasa answered, "From the moment you brought up that talk about the Holy Beast god to Mea. Chouta's not exactly quick on his feet like that, and now that I think about it, he was way too quiet during the meeting. If it had been the real Chouta, he’d have been making a lot more noise."

"That's a bit rude to him, don't you think?"

"That’s just the kind of guy he is. We’ve worked together enough times. Besides…"

In truth, Tsubasa had been suspicious from the moment Chouta, who was notorious for being late, had shown up to the meeting on time. Being naturally skeptical due to his "other profession," he had picked up on something being off.

He had also noticed the flawless mimicry—a level beyond mere disguise—because he was familiar with a certain boy.

"I already knew you had the ability to mimic others. I figured you'd try to infiltrate us sooner or later."

"Fufu, I see… that was careless of me."

Her bold entry had clearly been aimed at listening in on the meeting and subtly manipulating its outcome. Thinking back, the things she said while disguised as Chouta had all seemed to steer the meeting in a direction that suited her.

She had coaxed Mea into revealing the name of the Holy Dragon, Ein Sof, and had been the first to agree with En’s decision to negotiate with that god. No doubt, she had wanted events to unfold in that way.

…Not that Tsubasa minded, since he himself had been planning to go to the other world regardless. The phantom thief girl had revealed her true identity without even needing to be pressured. As she removed her silk hat and began to play with her black hair, Tsubasa wondered if she was checking her body for any signs of abnormality from using mimicry.

Although her movements were somewhat unrefined for a woman in front of a man she barely knew, there was an undeniable allure in her gestures. To Tsubasa’s trained eye, it seemed like she was an odd mixture of innocence and maturity, which created a strangely unbalanced atmosphere.

(She’s kind of throwing me off my rhythm…)

As the rumors suggested, her personality was elusive. She twirled her silk hat in her hands, waiting for Tsubasa to say something else.

Might as well say it, Tsubasa thought.

"Shouta owes you."

"Shouta-kun? Ah, so you know him?"

"Yeah, because of his parents' work. Ever since he met you, that kid’s started showing signs of becoming a man. I swear, you've gone and stolen something precious from an innocent citizen…"

"?"

"...Don’t look at me like that, all confused."

Seeing the girl tilt her head as if to say "I don’t know anything," Tsubasa couldn’t help but feel a chill, wondering just how much she had planned out.

He knew that she had stolen the supernatural ability of "Mimicry" from Shouta, the boy who had fallen victim to her theft, because he had met the boy directly. And he also knew that, after their encounter, Shouta had changed for the better.

Rumors were spreading that she was a kind of Robin Hood—stealing supernatural abilities only from bad people or those suffering because of their abilities. But whether that was true or not remained to be seen.

Kazaoka Tsubasa was a member of the Savers.

Yet, he had another, more secret identity known to only a select few—he was a detective hired by the police.

"I’ll be blunt. Who are you, really?"

His earlier words of thanks had been as Shouta's older brother figure, but now, he spoke as a Saver and a detective.

"No, maybe I should put it this way. Are you a holy beast... or even one of the Ten Archangels of Saphiras?"

"…fufu."

There was very little information about her—T.P. Eight Olishua. Despite pulling off audacious crimes and not even bothering to wear a mask, her past remained oddly mysterious. Given how conspicuous she was in a world so saturated with information, it was strange that no record of her past could be found. Even if she had hidden it using various abilities, it was so thorough that it would be easier to believe she had only recently arrived from another world.

…No, maybe the question itself was pointless at this stage.

What made Tsubasa sure of his suspicion was what happened the night before.

When they had challenged Chokmah while riding on her ability, the "Dark Phoenix," the holy beast had roared in fury.

『That power should belong to us, the Ten Archangels! How is a mere human able to wield it!?』

At that moment, 90% of Tsubasa's doubts had turned into certainty.

And yet… despite all this, he still felt like he hadn’t uncovered her true identity. As if staring into a bottomless abyss, he couldn’t grasp her depth.

The girl stared at Tsubasa with her emerald green eyes and placed a finger to her lips, whispering, "Shh."

"It wouldn't be fun to answer that here. If you're a detective, why not try to figure out everything about me? My true identity… the real face of T.P. Eight Olishua."

She poked her own cheek with the finger she had raised, grinning mischievously as she provoked Tsubasa.

The way she blended a bewitching charm with childlike innocence and boldness left Tsubasa momentarily mesmerized. In the blink of an eye, her figure disappeared from the spot.

Tsubasa, who had no intention of chasing after her, sighed as he picked up a scrap of paper she had left behind, exhaustion spreading across his face.

"No wonder those kids are so obsessed with her."

The abilities she stole would return to their owners after a few days.

However, the hearts of those she had stolen from might never return, even after many years.

For some reason, the victims of her thefts rarely spoke about her and were often reluctant to cooperate with investigations. Some didn't even report the incidents at all.

With a normal criminal, you'd suspect blackmail. But with her, it was the opposite.

"If she weren't a criminal, I might've tried flirting with her…"

Tsubasa muttered this half-seriously. He was, after all, a self-confessed "flirt."

Next