Akinori was used to seeing skepticism on people's faces. He saw them all the time during the New Year, when people would ask if the fortunes his family did could really give them luck. 

Seeing them on his friends' faces wasn't shocking at all. Especially with what he held in his hand right now.

"Akinori, you're not joking, right?" Keisuke broke the silence, coughing a bit as he pointed at the device. "THAT'S the device that will help us bring Neechan back?"

"Yeah," Akinori nodded.

The other two looked at each other, before looking back at the device, which looked like a smartphone, only with a few additions; an antennae at the top and a hole on the side.

"It's called the Magic Tamer Device, the prototype to a device called the Libra Stabiliser, but this was given to my family since it was more Youki-based," Akinori explained. "It, as the name goes, helps you tame rogue magic and catch it. You can even use the magic that you've caught."

"Okay, so how does it work?" Touma asked him.

"You just have to open this app," Akinori opened the phone and showed them an app with a net as its cover. "Pressing this app will cause air to enter this hole and consequently force the magic out. Then we can combat it using our usual methods." 

"All right, but how can we know if we're already 5.1 meters away from Shutendouji?" Touma asked again. 

"That one I can handle," Keisuke replied. "We can buy some GPS trackers and then stick one on Shutendouji. The other one we can stick on Neechan." 

"Good idea, but where can we buy them?" Akinori frowned. 

"... Actually, I think I have some in my house," Touma mused. 

"Really?!" Keisuke and Akinori both turned to look at Touma, who nodded. 

"Okaasan and Otousan got some for me after the Rasen illness incident. But I think I can set it to work for our plan. I'll get them later."

"Great," Akinori grinned. "Now we just have to find Natsume." 

"Ah," Keisuke smiled. 

"Well then, I'll go get the things we need for the mission," Touma stood up. 

"I'll go with you," Keisuke did the same. 

"So will I," Akinori agreed. "We can't afford to be separated now. After all, together we stand, divided we fall." 

The other two smiled at him in response, silently agreeing with him. 

That's how the three of them ended up walking back to Touma's house, having said goodbye to Mitsue after returning the scroll back to its original position.

After a while, they arrived at the apartment, so they got into the lift and pressed the button for Touma's floor. 

As the lift silently went up, the three of them didn't say a word. They couldn't find the right words to describe their feelings right now. 

Akinori felt relief that they were going to get Natsume back.

Touma felt happy that soon, Shutendouji wasn't going to be pulling Natsume's strings anymore.

And Keisuke just felt great that Natsume was coming back. 

As the lift opened up to Touma's floor, Touma took the lead, walking in front of Akinori and Keisuke to his apartment. 

Their feelings of happiness expanded as they soon arrived at Touma's house. Touma took out his key and inserted it into the keyhole, twisting it the right way. 

The door swung open, and they walked in, their spirits high....

Only to get knocked out by a masked figure, their bodies falling to the ground one by one.