Book 1: Records of Magus Killer – Chapter 24 - Conversation and Path Forward (Patreon)

Kiritsugu pondered the matter because he knew that what his wife was saying was partially true. He didn't really need to risk that much with

Kiritsugu pondered the matter because he knew that what his wife was saying was partially true. He didn't really need to risk that much with going into Africa personally and fighting there with the African Warlords, Terrorists, and other elements that were making their facts within the war-torn continent. 

Still, it was beyond obvious to him that he needed to go there by himself personally and take charge of the people.

"Not possible. I read the profiles of some of the targets, and as unfortunate as it is, some of them are supposed to have Incomple Strategic-Class Magic. Not to mention, there are around six or seven people who have Tactical-Class Magic that is deemed to be too troublesome to deal with."

Kiritsugu has studied the profiles of the targets to the possible depths and has comprehended their strengths and weaknesses. While the list was rather long, as there were a lot of unsavory elements that needed to be dealt with, most of them could be dealt with by the force of the High Table under the leadership of the Adjudicator of the Table.

Unfortunately for the Elder of the Yotsuba Clan and, most importantly, for his wife, there were around ten people who would need far more attention than just the average hit force. Some of them were exceptionally powerful and were suspected of having some kind of Incomplete Strategic Class Magic. 

That was certainly problematic as hell.

Most of the people who created even Incomplete Strategic-Class Magic were rather powerful, cunning as hell, and problematic to deal with. Sometimes, their Magic was even very hard to counter, but this time, Kiritsugu had a counter to it all.

His own Magic has reached the complete Strategic Class.

With that being said, he was rather confident in dealing with most of them rather easily without any trouble. Still, it was clear to him that he needed to oversee the operation personally, and there was also the matter of the Antinite and other resources.

Some of the mines that were located within the territories of the warlords were too precious for the Yotsuba Clan to be left alone. Or rather, to be left to the collective management of the High Table, Kiritsugu needed to put those mines and places under the direct control of the Yotsuba Clan.

"I will be taking with me some Clansmen. Originally, I was thinking of taking some members from the Khaos Brigade, but this mission cannot be related to the Military of the Hierarchy under any circumstances."

If Kiritsugu took only some Clansmen with him, it would attract less attention than bringing with him soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Hierarchy, especially those of the Khaos Brigade, to Africa.

"One of the main reasons why nobody is touching that dammed place, even though it is filled with resources, is the possible World War IV, when someone sends their Military... If you take there only the Clansmen of the Yotsuba Clan, it would be less viable, but don't forget that the Yotsuba Clan is right now one of the leaders of the Hierarchy; one wrong move could escalate the tensions in the world."

Maya was well versed in geopolitics, something that she learned and polished during the time she was the Clan Head and Clan Heir of the Yotsuba Clan. Nowadays, she is a rather experienced political schemer and knows that the situation around the world is far from ideal.

It was clear that even though World War III had ended, the tension didn't disappear anywhere, and they were still present as everyone still hated everyone, and it would need just one spark for it to blow up again.

Only after some time, when people got used to the peace they had, this would go down a little bit, but until now, especially when there were still a lot of warmongering moods and sentiments around the world, everyone needed to act carefully.

"I am very well aware of it, but it seems that everyone is more interested in quelling the African Warlods and terrorist organizations that are raiding their ships and attacking anything for resources. It is still enough for the USNA to put away their hatred for the Hierarchy and vice-versa."

Right now, practically everyone hates everyone.

USNA and Japanese Imperial Hierarchy were at each other's throats for several reasons, mainly due to them both being the ultimate winners of World War III and the Hierarchy still holding grudges against the USA, the predecessor of the USNA, for the acts done during World War II. 

Then, there were animosities of the Great Asian Alliance against the Hierarchy and the New Soviet Union. Then, the New Soviet Union was at odds with the Indo-Persian Federation due to some territorial disputes, and then there was traditional hostility of the New Soviet Union against the other European Nations. 

Especially the Germany and French Federation, no less talking about the Scandinavian Federation, held a deep hatred for the Soviet Union. 

"Who are you thinking of taking with you?"

Maya asked as she sat down, both of them attempting to relax, even though the content of their debate was rather heavy. It was rather ironic that the conversation between two people in their position would soon enough decide the fate of hundreds of thousands. 

Or something around that, as the population of the African nations has dwindled tremendously due to attempts at migration towards Europe during World War III that were mostly shot down by the European nations... 

Sometimes with the Magic and firepower. 

Or the grand offensive of the African Liberation Front at the Indo-Persian Federation and Turkey, which was paid by the Europan Nations to prevent people from migrating, that was rather a huge bloodbath.

One of the biggest during the entire World War III.

"Uncle Eisaku and some Combat Magicians. The rest of the people participating in the mission would be of the High Table. I will be tasking John with this: among the Adjudicators of the Table, he is the strongest one and most capable; he is also one of the few who are already on the side of the Yotsuba first and foremost."

Maya nodded as she heard the names of the people that her husband decided to take with him on the mission, only a few of them of the Yotsuba Clan. Most of the Yotsuba Clansmen would be acting only in times of dire need; during the other times, they would be standing on by or carrying out non-combat related missions.

"Yes... you and Uncle Eisaku together is, of course, the perfect scenario..."

She almost scowled afterward because her husband and her uncle together he was rather a bad omen. The young Clan Head of the Yotsuba Clan was sure that their collaboration would once again create some mess of unimaginable proportions.

Maya didn't have any delusions about the true reasons why the her husband was taking with him Uncle Eisaku as they were for sure plotting something. She was aware that her uncle was doing some rather unquestionable research that required human subjects.

"Just don't make the situation too big a mess. I don't know what you two are scheming together, but for sure, it's nothing good, so at least try to contain it to the maximum and not attract attention with your research."

She said after some time, because she knew that stopping her uncle Eisaku from researching whatever he was was mission impossible, she could only hope that it would be a controlled process.

Considering that the man didn't have any limitations and would do basically everything in order to achieve his goals.

And when she meant, everything, it was really everything.

Still, Yotsuba Maya was rather curious about what the due was researching because, technically speaking, the costs of the research were covered by the funds coming from the coffers of the Yotsuba Clan and some other means.

Most of the other means were directly connected to the shell companies under white horses that were taking money from the Hierarchical government for the top-secret Magic research that nobody was aware of its true nature.

"Hmm... so... what are you two even researching there? You already consumed a good few million of Yen."

She asked in a rather displeased tone because, with the current exchange, the buying strength of the Japanese Yen was around the same as that of the USNA dollar. This pleasant change could be mostly attributed to the gains that Japan obtained during World War III and that they were basically winners of World War III.

One could say that after the end of the war, the currencies of the winning power got a tremendous boost in terms of their value and buying strength, as they were more trustworthy than the currencies of the nations that lost in the war. 

The strength and value of the currency were, in this new age, directly tied to not only the economic strength of the nation but, foremost and at first, to the military strength of the nation.

And even though the Japanese Imperial Hierarchy had a smaller military compared to that of the USNA, they were technologically superior, and their number of Magicians eclipsed that of the USNA.

Especially in terms of Tactical-Class and Strategic-Class Magicians, Hierarchy had far more than the USNA. Not to mention, all Magicians within the Japanese Imperial Hierarchy were combat-ready, incorporated into the Military, and could fight properly.

"Reaching the Star-Order Magician."

Kiritsugu stated flatly the main objective of their secret research.

Hearing that, Maya wasn't that surprised because the existence of the Burning Legion made some people really, really tense, and after the Psionization, it made everyone realize that, for the first time, they were not alone in the Cosmos.

For many, executing Project Exodus was extremely humiliating, in fact. She understood the fact because they would be basically fleeing their homeworld and leaving it to its fate under the hands of the Burning Legion.

At the same time, she also understood the necessity because they had no way of resisting the Burning Legion. Even though the Earth had a whole bunch of Strategic-Class Magicians, due to their weaknesses, they couldn't use their Strategic-Class Magic without sufficient preparations.

They were vastly inferior to the Archmages of old when they could cast spells on the same level as Strategic-Class Magic without any lengthy preparations or support, just with their power alone.

And due to the long passage of time, all way to progress further were lost. 

One good assassination was all that was needed to take out all of the Strategic-Class Magicians. Kiritgusu was aware of the Burning Legion's meddling in this world, as the cults of their worshippers were already beginning to take root in this world.

He also knew that the Demons were scheming, and they would bid their time. Beofre the all-out invasion, they would gather information about this world and take out the biggest obstacles out.

That meant... 

Killing all of their Strategic-Class Magicians before the invasion started as a precaution that there wouldn't be any kind of resistance against their march.

"And how is the research going?"

She was rather curious because if they managed to recreate the path to the new order, it would be a great boon for the Yotsuba Clan. No way they would be publishing something like that, as it would be available only to the Yotsuba Clan and their loyalists and, after some time, to the members of the Project Exodus.

"Steadily, we managed to find a rather plausible way of advancing to the Star-Order according to the records obtained from the Senate, and right now, we are comparing them with our own research. The most problematic part is that, due to the lack of Magic in the environment for more than two thousand years, humanity has devolved to the point where we need to reconstruct the Magic Circuits from scratch, and that is proving to be extremely problematic."

In ancient times, in order to reach the Star-Order, all that the High-Order Magicians needed to do was to awaken their Magic Circuits.