Preparations.

After receiving their mission Gaius and the rest were led to a meeting room where they were explained in depth what it entailed. Yu pulled a plan of the building in a projector and began speaking.

“What you see here is the layout of the auction house. You do not need to memorise it all, since you should only care about this part and the ways to reach it.”

He used a laser to point out an area in the top floor. He then changed the screen to a mansion.

“In that room there is a pocket dimension. In it lives the auction manager and the most valuable products are kept. We will send four teams in. One as a distraction, another to try and and make them think that they have found all intruders. The other two will raid the managers safe and the treasury.

Your team will deal with the safe. You have five members, the three present here, an infiltrator and an escape specialist. Ryuunosuke, your role is to undo the worst wards, I know you only have three shots a day so make them count.”

“Understood!”

“Akihiko. You are to deal with infiltration and getting the safe open.”

“That I can do.”

“Gaius. You are the muscle and the detector. I want your Senjutsu active at all times, anything you think is suspicious must be dealt with. Despite that you are to prioritise the safe recovery if possible. I will leave it to your judgement.”

“Very well.”

“The roles of the other two should be obvious so I will skip that.”

Once he finished speaking he put forward two photographs and metal boxes.

“These are the people in question. You do not need their names. The woman to the left is the infiltrator, the one to the right the escape expert. Gaius you are to remember their magical signatures to make sure it is them you convene with.”

Gaius took the boxes and activated them. He closed his eyes and remained like that for a minute before putting them away. He nodded to signify he had committed them to memory.

“Good. We haven't managed to get the blueprints for the mansion so you will have to rely on the infiltrator. The objects to recover are four, a magatama necklace, a sealed jade box, a bow and a grimoire.”

As he spoke images of the stolen goods appeared on the screen. The magatama necklace looked old but ordinary, with the magatamas seemingly made of iron. The jade box was rectangular and the size of a hand in length and width while being three centimetres deep. The bow was a 220 cm long Japanese bow made of bone. Finally the grimoire was a simple leather bound book with the kanji Yomo no Gisiki in the cover.

“They are very valuable. Very. Very. Valuable. Each of them is priceless but they would fetch at least a billion US dollars at least.”

Akihiko s eyebrow rose slightly while Gaius looked with renewed interest at the mission objectives. However Ryuunosuke's mouth fell and he couldn't help but stutter.

“What the hell are they?!”

“The Iron Magatama of the Ryuugamine Clan. The Evil Eating Bow of the Morakabe family. The Sealing Lamentation of the Hokkaido Devil Slaying Alliance. And the Yomo no Gisiki of the Four Gods Observatory.”

Akihiko whistled impressed, for all of those where big ones.

“I can see why we are sending an entire team to get these. But how did the Blues get them? And why send us?” He questioned.

“They bought them from the original thiefs. As for why we send you…”

He signaled Akihiko.

“Best investigator, good infiltrator.”

His finger moved to Gaius.

“Senjutsu user, Rank 4, has a bird that can phase through walls.”

He moved to Ryuunosuke and faltered for a second.

“Useful person you two have experience with?”

“Excuse me for being young or not a monster.”

Gaius snorted a repressed laugh while Akihiko broke in loud laugher.

“In order for the entire operation to work we need you three already in the mansion by the time the main force attacks the auction. For that we need you to infiltrate the auction as guests, but Akihiko and Ryuunosuke are already known to the Blues. Gaius is less known so he shall be the public face.”

Yu paused before bringing out three suitcases.

“You will disguise yourselves as a necromancer and his undead guardians. That will allow you two to cover your faces without raising suspicion. The association has prepared magic tools that will allow Ryuunosuke and Akihiko to sow as undead to the wards we already identified, so you should have no problem as long as you can act decently as undead. It isn't difficult, stand in silence behind Gaius.”

Akihiko shaked his head.

“That won't work. They won’t let just anyone in. Specially someone suspicious like a normal necromancer.”

Yu just smiled at that.

“Which is why not just a necromancer will go in.”

He opened the middle suitcase displaying a black robe and a pendant. The pendant had the symbol of a meteor in the middle of a circle with diamonds encrusted every thirty degrees.

“Fuck.” Muttered Gaius in shock. “The Heavenly Sphere Necromancers? Those guys have existed since the Republic! How did you get a valid symbol of theirs?”

“That was thanks to you Gaius. The Vatican would like you to pay them a visit after this.”

Gaius’ eyes widened before a grin split his face and he began humming. Akihiko felt happy for his young friend, knowing he longed to reconnect with the catholic community. Yu waited some moments and seeing he didn't stop he kept speaking.

“To enter you need a pass that can be purchased for five billion yen. We already have one in the name of the Heavenly Sphere Necromancers.”

He took a blue card from his pocket and gave it to Gaius. It was a simple cyan card with a black mask on it.

“To recap. Enter as a necromancer, infiltrate the mansion, retrieve the goods and take care of anything important that you notice while doing the previous. Understood?”

The team of three looked at each other and nodded.

“””Yes!”””

That were leaving the building when Gaius saw his students in the entrance and approached them.

“Hey! Terumi, Kotone, Kishi!”

They turned to him and went to his encounter.

“Master, Master Akihiko, Ryuunosuke. Good evening.” Greeted Kishi.

“Nice seeing you.” Waved Kotone.

“Hello.” Managed to speak Terumi.

“Good to see you coming out of your shell Terumi. What are you three doing here?”

“We have begun taking missions as per your recommendation Master. We are joining in the raid tonight if you think we are ready.” Answered Kishi.

Gaius looked pensive before coming to a decision.

“You can, but you have to listen to my instructions. Kotone don't let others to know about your thing, so no lust balls or anything of the sort, specially that cursed fire. Terumi you should listen to the others and not get separated. Kishi, do not try to do everything, if you are overwhelmed run.”

“Awww. I like the cursed fire.”

“Yes!”

While his classmates accepted it Kishi looked discontent. Gaius saw it and sighed.

“Kishi. This is important, you need to learn when to step back. How many times have I had to heal you because you pushed too hard?”

“But Ryuunosuke and Akihiko are weaker than me.”

“Yes and I won't let them near combat. If we engage anything above Rank 1 they are running. And they have far more experience than you, which is important.”

Kishi spoke through clenched teeth.

“Understood, Master.”

Gaius smiled and smacked his shoulder.

“Eventually you won't have to run, but right now you are still not strong enough to be careless.”

“Got it.”

They spoke a bit more with Gaius and Akihiko giving them advice on how to appropriately use their Touki and things to be careful of respectively.

They went their own ways. Gaius and his team went to the Blue Spirit to for information.

Once there they entered they left Ryuunosuke on the restaurant and went to the bar zone and headed towards Sakae’s private room.

“Hi you two.”

“Hello Adam, Sakae.”

“Gaius, Akihiko! Come in. What do you want?”

“Guten tag.”

They sat down and Akihiko inclined forward.

“What we can expect in the Blues auction.”

Sakae smiled mischievously.

“What makes you think I won't sell this information to the Blues? Now I know your big commotion is a raid on it.”

Gaius snorted.

“Aside from the fact that if you do that you will have the association after you? You like the Blues as much as you like wasabi, not at all.”

“True.” Commented Adam.

“Traitor. There is not much honestly. You need a blue card to enter. Aside from that and some of the goods to be auctioned I just can tell you that Clark Rossi is going to be there.”

Akihiko inclined and put his head on his hands.

“Fuck. He is the strongest after the Boss.”

Gaius tried to remember about the Blue Leathers known threats and realised he knew next to nothing about them.

“I have no idea who that is.”

Sakae smiled, her eyes shining.

“Since you are regulars I can give you this for free.”

“You mean they can get the information from their bosses so you can't cheat them.” Said Adam.

“Shush you. The Boss came ten years ago to this town. He is a Rank 7 Senjutsu user. In a show of strength he defeated and unified all illegal associations and gangs under him. Before that they were nuisances that at most had a Rank 5, but he has attracted strong people making the Blue Leathers strong. They still have less strength that the association, but they hide well. They have a Rank 7, the Boss, and three Rank 6.

Of the three one was a previous partner of the Boss, one a mercenary and one was a previous gang leather that two years ago became Rank 6. Clark Rossi is the gang leader. Grandson of a former American soldier that remained in Japan after living here with the army. His grandfather was an Italian immigrant that didn't like the US after he arrived there. He lived in this city but died when his son was young along his wife. Marco Rossi was abused in a foster family and began idealising the United States, eventually calling his son an ‘American’ name. However he was also abusive causing Clark to run away. Clark joined a gang that was related to the supernatural and the rest is history. Once the Boss came he switched sides immediately, sparing his gang any casualties. Since then he rose to become his right hand. He is a Touki user. He doesn't usually fight and when he does there are few willing to speak so not much is known about his fighting style. We do know that his blows cause muscles to cramp.”

“Bad news then.”

“Ja. He is a tough bastard. I once fought him but that was before he became Rank 5. What I can tell you is that he can use his Touki to numb the nerves of his opponents. Be careful of that.”

“Adam?! Why didn't you tell me that?!”

“No reason until now.”

Gaius looked at his phone. It was already seven in the evening.

“Hate to cut this short but we need to go.”

“Goodbye then.” Sakae said distracted. “We are information brokers, you have to tell me this or we'll lose credibility.”

Gaius and Akihiko heard Adam answer while they left.

“You do a good job at that already.”

Once they were out of the bar they reunited with Ryuunosuke.

“Now what?” Asked Ryuunosuke.

“A limousine from the “Necromancers” will take us to the venue, I'll drive. We will change on it. It's waiting us outside the city, let's get going.” Responded Akihiko.