"This is Master Masayoshi. He's the greatest contributor to this operation."

"Oh? Not bad for someone so young! So, what do you want dismantled? Could it be... a mutant?"

The man at the dismantling site was a burly middle-aged man. He wielded what looked like a large cleaver in his right hand, and his clothes were heavily spattered with blood. Well, that's expected if you're dismantling creatures. His appearance might be intimidating, but...

"Mutant and dragon materials, please."

I retrieved the materials from my storage magic: mutant parts, leaving aside the original and three others, totaling fifteen in all, and some dragon scales with the skin still attached, as they hadn’t been fully processed. In games, you tend to hold on to at least three of every material, just in case.

"Whoa, storage magic, huh? Same rare skill as the Guild Master! Wait—did you just say dragon?"

"Actually, my storage magic couldn’t hold this much. At best, maybe ten of these mutants."

As expected of the Great Mage’s power. Besides, my storage still contained the dragon’s head, organs, and weapons and armor from the Great Mage’s estate.

"The dragon scales haven’t been processed yet, but since I stored them right after slaying the dragon, they shouldn’t have deteriorated too much."

"Impressive. Dragon materials... this is my first time seeing them. These scales are incredibly hard. They’ll make fantastic weapons and armor."

"You could sell them to blacksmiths or even nobles in the capital. Ah, pardon my rudeness in front of Master Masayoshi."

"Not at all. I don’t have the connections to sell them, so I’m grateful just to have someone buy them."

"Master Masayoshi, may I ask for a favor? Would it be possible for you to sell us the original mutant specimen?"

"The original? Sure, as long as you don’t need the magic stone."

"Thank you very much! This mutant is vastly different from those we’ve encountered before. Studying the original and others could help us prepare for future battles."

That makes sense. Leaving it to Mr. Gildart seems like a better use. With the magic stone in hand, I have no issues.

"Understood. I’ll leave it to you."

"Thank you so much! Could I trouble you to return here in a week? By then, we’ll have finished the appraisal and gathered as many magic stones as possible."

"Got it. Thanks for your help!"

Afterward, Mr. Gildart wrote the letters of introduction for me. I politely declined the celebration party for the strike force and returned to my world. While I would have liked to attend, it was about time I headed back. Having limited time like this can be frustrating.

Yesterday’s operation went well, and now it’s Sunday. What should I do today? Maybe I’ll stick to my plan of visiting a seaside town to try out some local seafood.

I ate breakfast while watching the news. Mom was still sleeping in the next room. She often stays up late, so on days off like this, she takes her time waking up. Since I usually spend my weekends in the other world, I leave her breakfast ready with a note saying I’m off to explore.

Today’s breakfast was a traditional Japanese meal: rice, miso soup, natto, tamagoyaki, and chilled tofu. There was a time when we opted for bread and milk out of convenience, but both Mom and I agreed we preferred Japanese-style meals. Now, it’s back to cooking them every morning.

With breakfast done, dishes washed, and a note left behind, it’s time to head to the other world. As I reached to turn off the TV, I noticed there was little news coverage of the earthquake and factory explosion from two weeks ago anymore. The president had been arrested, and all the employees transferred to a new company.

Today’s news seemed quiet. Peace is the best, after all.

Ping-pirorin, ping-pirorin!

Huh, it’s been a while since I’ve heard that sound. It’s the chime for breaking news.

"We’ve just received breaking news. At around 8 a.m. today, an armed group infiltrated Mitakihara Station, taking passengers inside hostage and barricading themselves in."

"What the heck?!"

I couldn’t help but shout. A hostage situation in this day and age?! Armed attackers—terrorists, maybe?

"The authorities are currently investigating the group while confirming their demands.

Reports indicate the armed group has fired guns. If you are near Mitakihara Station, please stay away from the area. Residents in the following zones are advised to evacuate temporarily."

The screen switched to a map. A red circle marked an area encompassing Mitakihara Station and the surrounding three stations. I quickly checked my phone for more details.

The news had already spread like wildfire. Someone had taken a photo of the armed group: they wore black knit hats concealing their faces, black outfits, and what looked like bulletproof vests. They were armed not only with handguns but also machine guns.

You’ve got to be kidding me. Is this really Japan? These guys look just like the terror groups I’ve only seen on international news.

Mitakihara Station... That’s three prefectures away. What should I do? Could I be of any help? Could the Great Mage’s barrier magic even withstand bullets? While it deflects physical attacks, there’s no guarantee it’ll stop firearms.

Damn it. I’m still scared, aren’t I? Guns are far more terrifying than dragons...

But I can’t just look the other way. I inherited the Great Mage’s power. While their personality might have been questionable, they used that power to save countless lives. If I’m their successor, I can’t just stand by!