Multiverse: Why does the world show a health bar? !

Kihara Noukan was a rather unique "individual" among the Kihara family.

Most members of the Kihara family were beings who thought with logic and reason, scientific madmen who had no concept of emotion. But Noukan was different. It balanced work and rest, never exhausting itself for the sake of missions or experiments.

Yes, *it*.

Kihara Noukan currently appeared as a dog.

As Aleister's most loyal subordinate, Noukan had its own tasks, such as temporarily acting as a guardian for the "immortal" beside it. A month or two ago, this non-magician immortal had caused quite a stir.

—A stir large enough to sweep across the entire Northern Hemisphere.

"I say, why didn't you choose to stay in District 12? Why did you have to come to District 8?"

"Are you annoyed that I interrupted your lovely day off?"

"Of course! Even dogs need days off, you know? Ladylee, you should understand that."

The girl called Ladylee smiled without answering and said, "God created the world in six days, and the seventh day was for rest."

"God or not, I don't know. I'm just a dog who got dragged out on my day off. Sigh, is this because of what happened between you and Shokuhou Misaki last time?"

"Aleister's control over this city is as strong as ever. I'm just here for a walk, nothing special."

"Coming from someone who's constantly seeking death, I find your words hard to believe. But did you really believe what she said?" Kihara Noukan asked.

Ladylee: "Why wouldn't I believe her? Three years ago, and again a month ago, she showed me miracles."

Miracles.

Kihara Noukan couldn't deny the word. While it existed as a safety valve, capable of stopping those around it, that was only in terms of offensive abilities. Saving the lives of people on a crashing spaceship or a falling space elevator... required extensive preparation.

But that girl had shown miracles.

As if God had reappeared.

"A Saint. I'm not unaware of what Saints are, but is Shokuhou's power that of a Saint?"

There was nothing in Academy City that Kihara Noukan didn't know about. For example, the Index Librorum Prohibitorum currently staying at the home of the Imagine Breaker. That girl had attracted the attention of the Anglican Church's genius magician and a Saint.

Kihara Noukan knew what a Saint was.

And because it knew, it was surprised.

"I don't know."

"Don't you have an endless lifespan?"

"An endless lifespan doesn't make me omniscient. For example, I don't know how your master Aleister got to where he is today. And that man over there, I don't know who he is either."

Ladylee pointed at someone.

Kihara Noukan was somewhat surprised. This park had been carefully chosen. Given Ladylee's special status, this path shouldn't have had anyone else on it.

Then, Kihara Noukan saw the man stop and noticed the person he was carrying.

It was someone from 「Item」.

Due to its work, Kihara Noukan was familiar with the dark side's intelligence.

If nothing unexpected had happened, today was supposed to be 「School」's operation day, right? And the location was District 8. It seemed they had clashed with 「Item」?

So who was this man?

The portable device connected to Academy City's database, searching through the vast stream of data.

The result: nothing found.

"He's an outsider."

"Oh, then he must be a magician."

"You're so sure?"

"Intuition," Ladylee said.

Kihara Noukan shook its head. Despite having a degree of rationality, it was still a Kihara. Its logical mind couldn't comprehend something like intuition.

But...

"He seems to know you, Ladylee."

"No, he knows you. His gaze was focused on you first."

"How would an outsider magician know about a dog like me?" Kihara Noukan said self-deprecatingly, though it acknowledged Ladylee's judgment.

The man was a magician.

"A talking dog is strange no matter where you are, isn't it?"

"True."

The two being watched conversed easily.

Meanwhile, Li Mo, who was watching them, raised an eyebrow, feeling somewhat numb.

How did these two end up together?

It was a large golden retriever, with a small backpack-like thing on its back, looking like an adorable pet to the average person.

However, Li Mo's perception far exceeded that of a normal person.

The creature's vitality was vastly different from that of a normal pet. Combined with the knowledge in his mind, Li Mo concluded that it was a Kihara.

Moreover, it was talking.

"Sir, why... why is there a talking dog in Academy City?"

"Aren't you the one from Academy City? Why are you asking me?"

Making an animal talk was simple from a mystical perspective. Easy as pie.

But achieving this through science...

Li Mo was ultimately part of the magic side, so he couldn't really judge this.

"But I've never seen a talking dog before..." Frenda muttered.

Academy City hid many secrets. Even as a dark side operative, Frenda couldn't claim to know everything.

"Uh, aren't you going to leave? A talking dog is rare, but you don't need to stare that long, right?"

"You don't understand."

Li Mo licked his lips.

He felt like his fur was standing on end.

Even though the other side wasn't wearing that armor, logically, he shouldn't feel this much pressure, right?

And...

"Why is Ladylee here?"

Ladylee Tangleroad.

A name unfamiliar to many. But because Li Mo had looked up a lot of information before coming to this world, he remembered this name and this face.

An immortal who had lived for centuries.

"Who is she? Do you know her?"

"A month ago, didn't Academy City have a space elevator called Endymion? She was the builder."

The Miracle of Endymion.

That was a movie. The story itself was somewhat cliché, but the world it existed in was quite interesting. The female protagonist in it created two miracles, as if the Lord had descended again.

And then... there was this Ladylee.

"Ah, that broken space elevator?" Frenda whispered.

She knew about it. It seemed even the #3 had been involved in that incident. Her boss was very interested in that woman. The gap between #3 and #4 was small, so Mugino was furious that she was ranked lower than that blonde girl.

In this brief moment, Ladylee and Kihara Noukan approached and said, "Hello, unfamiliar magician."