Fortissimo EXS // Trigger: Verzweiflung (IC thread)

[hero]

Nakamura Shinji
Starlight Academy Rooftop - Eyespace


This time, Zeus Lightning was completely overwhelmed by Valravn destructive force. The clash ended with a small explosion, caused by your energy bullet detonating upon impact. Only then did you realize that you had made a terrible mistake. Because Yoshiota Chisato's Last Resort could end your life in an instant if it hit, you had instinctively decided to fire yours without even thinking about it. All to avoid a tragic fate that would have never arrived in the first place. Yes, Zeus Lightning was a Trump Card that embodied the concept of 'Dirty Play'. Because of this, it could be used in many 'unfair' ways to make up for Chisato's lack of Magical Reserves. The Queen of Tsukuyomi-jima had just showed you one of them.

---Her Last Resort could be activated with just a little spark of Magical Energy, and it was capable of creating the 'illusion' that Dark Thunder was overloaded with Mana.

Indeed, what Valravn had just hit had been nothing more than a bait, a decoy. Chisato had figured you would react that way and had made a gamble. She couldn't really tell, but the prize she had been awarded for winning was more than she could imagine. With this, Nakamura Shinji had no Magical Energy left to fire his Last Resort for a third time. With this, the battle was over. With this, it was checkmate.

"Soon..."

Even so, there was one step left needed for her to emerge victorious. Jumping back an enormous distance in just a couple of seconds, the girl took another bite of the Golden Apple she held in her hands. Just an instant later, her body recovered all the vitality and energy it had lost since the last time the rune was used. Even the pain and the fatigue were completely gone.

Yoshiota Chisato's HP has been restored to full.
Yoshiota Chisato's MP has been restored to full.
Yoshiota Chisato has been cured of all afflictions.

"Soon...!"

And now, it was time for the grand finale. Mana began to gather around the jet-black spear at insane speeds. Yoshiota Chisato was getting ready to fire her Last Resort one last time and put an end to this battle once and for all. This was supposed to be the day her dream would become a reality, and she wouldn't let anybody or anything get in her way. No matter what...

"Soon we will be together again...!"

She'll walk out of this alive.

[MssrNeko]

Nakamura Shinji
Starlight Academy - Rooftop (Eyespace)

Truly Shinji had underestimated his opponent's abilities and battle capability. In arrogantly thinking that he had the upper-hand, he had lost enough prana that he can no longer use his Last Resort: Valravn. With her the activation of Golden Apple, Chisato was fully healed and recharged with mana. Shinji feels the black mana gathering in the malevolent spear and knows that he cannot possibly survive this attack head-on. Death was calling and Shinji could the name....

(BGM on)

....but it will not be his name. His time was not over yet. He will show Chisato the difference between the two of them.

A killing intent spills out from the grey-haired boy. His grey eyes grow colder than ice as he glares at the enemy ahead. He has a wish and he wanted it more than anything. Nothing would get in his way. Even if he encountered a close friend, Shinji would not hesitate in pulling the trigger. That was the nature of this twisted game; if one wanted their dream to be fulfilled, they had to crush the others foolish enough to oppose them.

He swiftly pulls up his rifle and takes aim. From the barrel erupts a ball of dark, unstable energy that flies towards the preparing Chisato.

As the bullet exits the barrel, a snarl is heard.

"Vanity Step."

Using his ill-gotten Rune, Shinji disappears from normal eyesight as he flies beyond lightspeed towards a more advantageous position. Outstripping his fired bullet, the Raven reappears on Chisato's backside. Before the girl can react, Shinji takes aim towards the item that ensured her status as a Magus. Yes, if he could destroy that spear, victory was his.

The rifle is aimed and another shot is fired.

-------------------------------
Raven Shot - AoE
MP: 5

Vanity Step
MP: 80

Raven Shot (Precision Bonus)
MP: 10

Mana Points Left: 871/1000

[hero]

Reynard Everheart
Eyespace - Milky Way


It was over.

You fell to one knee, unable to remain standing after being pushed so close to your limit. Scanning your surroundings, you realized that nothing had gone wrong with your plan, save your now heavy breathing. Johnie Gamble looked a little puzzled after 'something' had punched him in the face with enough strength to make him fall on his butt, but he was okay. On the other hand, Sawai Mihou was lying on the floor, blood coming down from her head and several other cuts on her body. If she were a human, she would be beyond saving, but as a fellow Magus you knew she would recover from those wounds in just a matter of time. In fact, a second look confirmed that she was indeed conscious.

"Hah... Ah... It's been... Sixteen years... Since... The last time... I got beaten up... This... Badly... Hah... Ugh... Ah..."

---And with a smile on her face. It seemed that she had found something you had said either funny, amusing or pleasant.

Gathering as much energy as you had left, you used it to get back on your feet. Now that you had the time, there were several questions that you wanted to ask this girl. Mainly because you were sure that this battle had not been an isolated case. If all the people that remained in this space were Magi or potential Magi, then that meant that a couple of people you knew were also in danger. And in order to help them, you had to understand what exactly was going on in the island. And Sawai Mihou... Well, you had a feeling that she had all the answers you needed.

"Hey... Everheart..." From her position, the girl called up to you. "... Can you... Do me a favor...?" Regardless of your response, the swordsman continued after a small pause. She had something that she definitely wanted to tell you:

"Don't... Go..." Clang, a beautiful sound. "Imposing..." And then, before your very eyes... "... Your truth on others-!"

The impossible happened.

Endure: The skill to fight until the very end and stand up even after the worst injury. Capable of fighting even after being Koed.

"This battle... Isn't over yet-!"

Sawai Mihou stood up and returned to her earlier stance. 'Adjudicate' had dealt massive damage, so much that there was no logical explanation as to why she was still able to fight. It was something exceptionally rare, but some magi had Runes or Last Resorts that granted them a second chance after being defeated or depleting their Magical Reserves. But that was not the case, Fragarach had no abilities of the sort. Yes, the reason why Sawai Mihou still challenged you, with her style untouched, as if nothing had happened...

---It was simply because she had enough will power and peace of mind to actually enact that miracle.

Her sword shone brightly, as she dashed in, reducing the distance between the American boy and her to almost zero in an instant. This would be her last attack in this battle. Before slashing down her target, she whispered one word:

"Test."

The blade of truth descended; The play was about to reach its end.

[Mereo Flere]

Reynard Everheart
Eyespace - Milky Way

Mihou really was an incredible Magus. No matter what Rei threw at her, her swordsmanship never dulled. On the ground, in the air, or even at the brink of death, nothing slowed her down. It was a miracle that Rei had brought down even for a few moments - which he managed only by using her own strength against her.

It was a miracle that wouldn't happen again. When she did the impossible and stood up, Rei knew that the only strength he could rely on was his own - but then again, maybe that's how it had to be. In the end, he could only settle this using his own power, not by borrowing someone else's. Even if he could barely stand, even if he was down to his last few drops of mana, he would need to finish this on his own terms.

He wanted to be a hero, after all - and what kind of hero would back down in the face of a challenge like that? How could he run away, when her own injuries were so much more severe? If she stubbornly refused to give up, he could not allow his own will to be any less than hers!

"Sorry," Rei apologized, as he watched her pick herself up off the ground. "I guess I was wrong after all. The battle isn't over - yet."

Yes. Even though she had stood up, even though she still outclassed him, even though he had nothing but the simplest of magic left to his disposal, the outcome of the battle had not been decided. While he hadn't won, neither had she. As long as he didn't surrender, he still had a chance.

She took the same stance as she did before - the only difference was who she chose to face. From the angle, there was no doubt that she was after Johnie, who was still down on the floor. With less than a second to react, Rei stepped forward, over Johnie, ready to intercept Mihou's slash. Even if she was faster than him, he already knew where he needed to go - what he needed to do in order to stop her. All of her power would be focused on that overhead slash, and all he would have to do was stop it. While he was no match for her full might, he gambled on the idea that stopping a single arm - half of her strength - would be enough; if one hand did not follow through, neither would the other.

With a lunge forward, Rei aimed a thrust to intercept her wrist and pulled the trigger right at the moment of impact. It was a counter that Rei could only try because he had experienced this pattern before, a combination of all the power he could pull out right now. Even though there was no guarantee that it would work, no proof that he was strong enough to pull it off even if his theory was correct, this was his answer.

This was everything that he had.

XXX

Spoiler:

Acala Barrage: 10 MP Spent = 100 Damage
Gun Punch: POW = 10 Damage
Total: 110 Damage

[hero]

Nakamura Akio
Residential District II - Eyespace


It had worked just as you had predicted.

After hitting the core of Aesop Grimm with an unbelievable amount of swords in rapid succession, your own Fool had remained unharmed. Now you knew that in this way you could beat your 'Alter Ego'. However, the price you had paid for attacking the mirrored Magical Weapon soon made itself evident. When you had used 'Minor Arcana: Swords' on your opponent's fool, you had sacrificed the 'Reversed Tower' that bound it. With it free, all the previously destroyed cards respawned instantly. With this, the two of you were even. The clone retreated, and you both started analyzing the current situation.

---Fifty Meters separated you.

"There is no use in trying to hide it, huh?" He commented. "I know what you are planning, and I guess you know what I have under my sleeve. It's only natural, we are one and the same." A half hearted shrug. "You and I have something we want to protect, don't we? That's why we fight. But you have realized it yet, haven't you, partner? What makes us different."

Yes, if you took into account everything that had happened during the battle so far... Every Rune, every skill, every move... There was one clear difference between your dark counterpart and you. In your current state, you didn't have enough Magical Energy to use your Last Resort again, while he just had enough for one of your Trump Cards. Fortunately, you were sure that he couldn't pull the 'absolute victory' combo with his current levels of Mana. Wait... There was a way.

"No, not that. Hmmm, nevermind, it seems words won't work." Without giving out a single clue as to what his true intentions were, the doppelganger smiled confidently. "Then allow me t-Guahhg??!" And then, suddenly and unexpectedly, the other you fell to the floor with a big 'thud'. This left the three of you a little puzzled, but a second later, a new Akio stood in front of you. You had no idea of what had just happened, but it reminded you of a program being resetted... "..."

Only that there seemed to be something incredibly wrong with this version of you. His face dark and twisted, he had been completely stripped of a personality, and only killing intent surrounded the area where he stood. With no words to be said, you realized that the situation had changed for the worst once more. The friendly double was no more and now you had to deal with a devoted killing machine that shared your name, appearance and powers. And if your guess was right...

This one could use could use 'that' combination.

-------

"Tch..."

It had been less than an hour since Katsurimi Haseno met Nakamura Akio and Aomori Mana. And while she didn't really know much about the two of them, she had confirmed that at least the boy was not trying to use her in any way and was in fact a good person. When he had offered to heal her, he had done so in an honest way, and when he had supported her, he had done so without asking anything in return. Now, this whole situation was none of her business and if she had to be honest, she had thought of leaving the scene more than once. But when she heard that Nakamura Akio's Magical Weapon would be definitely hit by 'Death', everything changed. She would do her best to avoid the complete erasure of his existence. He at least deserved to live a little longer. Then again, it was not that she felt obliged to pay him back.

---The white haired girl was doing this on a whim, simply because she wanted to.

"Snefnug-!"

With a single command, bee shaped projectiles emerged from the ground mirror and closed into the card that had been thrown, the one that signified the absolute end, Death. However, making impossible turns, the card slipped between the crystal bullets, and effectively hit Aesop's Fool. It was only natural. The moment Akio's 'clone' had used the World Arcana, the success of such event had been ensured. Something physical that could not hope to match a conceptual effect of such caliber.

Gritting her teeth, Katsurimi Haseno was left with no other choice but to use her Last Resort...

---

Aomori Mana bit her lower lip in anxiety and fear.

Out of the three of them she was the one with honestly no idea of what was going on. For someone who had thought of herself as a normal human until the time when this space had first appeared, she had managed to retain a decent level of composure. Well, that had been because Nakamura Akio had been there with her, otherwise she would have probably gone mad. And now, if there was one thing she did understand, it was that said person was about to die in front of her very eyes. The Reverse Tower Arcana struck on the core of his Magical Weapon had saved the boy of an instant death, but that was only delaying the inevitable. Even though she did not understand the mechanics, she was instinctively aware that Nakamura Akio did not have much time. The other girl... Mana had unleashed all her emotions on her because she was supposed to be nothing a stranger. But now, that person was protecting her friend, while she could have used the chance to flee.

---In the meantime, Aomori Mana could do nothing. Nothing at all.

"No..." She told herself. "I can't let it happen."

It didn't matter if she was no Magus. It didn't matter if she had no magical weapon. If she wasn't powerful enough to prevent Nakamura Akio from dying, then she would gather all her strength and pull... Pull until something came out. There had to be something useful... Some kind of hidden ability... If she had been summoned to this place... There had to be something in her that was of worth-!

-------

You had less than one minute left to live.

No matter how you looked at it, the situation was helpless. No matter what you came up with, Aesop Grimm had a counter ready for each and every single idea that you could put into practice. With Death having already hit the Fool, your options of survival were extremely limited, and normally, even you would have admitted defeat in such scenario. However, this time it was different. If Nakamura Akio was going to die, it would not be here and it would not be today. Not like this-!

Just as the three of you gave in to despair... That same despair united you and gave birth to a new power-!

-------

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

The emotive battle cry engulfed Aomori Mana in a greenish aura of Magical Energy. There was so much of it that the area it covered wasn't simply her body, but also part of her surroundings. This was the answer she had been seeking. With this, she would create a path that would allow her other two teammates to win this fight. Even if there were only twenty seconds left, she felt that in that time anything could be overcome. In an instant, explosive amounts of mana covered the entire area and something changed-!

"I see. Then, my turn is next."

Realizing what the girl had managed to do, Katsurimi Haseno instantly resumed the offensive, preparing herself to unleash her own Last Resort. It was still unclear as to what the true nature of Mana's powers was -Since she didn't seem to possess any sort of Magical Artifact-, but it was clear that her abilities were related to the modification of the environment. Not just nature, but anything that had become a part of it. That was how she had just turned an ice circle with a radius of fifty feet into a one with a radius of seven hundred and fifty feet-!

"Evigheden-!"

---Evigheden---

A Last Resort that can only be activated when Spejl af Fornuft is in play. Shatters the mirror-like ice into a nearly infinite amount of razor-sharp splinters, which can be freely fired at as many targets as Haseno desires. Having been pierced, cut, slashed and/or eviscerated by so many shards, the target quickly dies. If not, then they are left severely debilitated, allowing Haseno to use her signature rune to mercifully finish off her opponent. Thanks to Mana's terrain altering powers, this Trump Card has reached a whole new level, becoming Overload: Evigheden, an upgraded version countless times more powerful than the original-!

As the attack engulfed the entire area lke a tornado, your turn arrived. Only then did you realize what the other you had meant back then. The difference between you and him...

Heh, it had been so obvious from the start.

[Airen]

Nakamura Akio
Road to Residential District II - Eyespace

A memory returned to me again, as if to remind me of what I had sworn in the past.

Got that? If you're a hero, then you're not allowed to lose to anyone! Not even yourself!"

Even now, I think that my promises meant more to me than anything else. Fulfilling my agreement with Maiya, going back to meet with Raku again, protecting Mana and this other woman, and-

"Kids these days and heroics... I wonder if I'm a bad influence."

Making Sensei proud of me, proud of what I had accomplished, of the world I wanted to create with my own hands before I died, a peaceful place where fighting wasn't necessary, where people could live without fear, where the presence of heroes was not necessary.

Just a normal happy life for everyone.

...I wanted to see it.

...I wanted to reach out and grab that dream with my own hands.

...I wanted to be around when Raku's father came back to her, I wanted to be there on my sister's birthday, hanging out with Rei after graduation, talking with Akira over the phone, meeting with Maiya on that cliff-side, talking with Mana like I had today, small things, happy things, things that were just a part of my normal life.

That was why-

Power erupted from the clashing cards as Tower struggled against Death, denying the 'end' to my life with all of it's strength.

-With this will to live, and these two standing beside me, fighting alongside me-

The most brilliant of the Arcana I possessed moved into the palm of my hand on it's own, knowing that the time for the final act of this fight had finally made an appearance.

-Even if he killed me, I was not going to die!

As I crushed the card in my hand, power roared, exploded outward in a flash of golden light as new vitality, gathered power, flowed throughout my veins. My dark hair flashed to gold, and relentless brown eyes turned into confident green ones as the 'true form' of Nakamura Akio appeared on the battlefield to confront death, the sharp pang of another of my Reverse Tower cards arriving to seal me in this state.

Nakamura Akio has regained 530 MP

With this power, I would combine my strength with my allies and stop the 'End.'

"Evigheden-!"

I could feel it.

Mana's power flowing parallel to this woman's, this was an example of the strongest ability granted to Magi, the ability to combine strength, align magic into forms that could even surpass the gods. Even without my assistance this would be a powerful attack, if it had been aimed at me, I would have struggled for a bit, but eventually would have been destroyed without fail, the shadow of me would be the same in this regard.

But I didn't have enough time left to allow him to struggle, in order to live to see tomorrow, he had to be destroyed quickly, and without fail.

"Let's end this, Death."

Calling out for the same power that had been used against me, I crushed the card in order to release the concept from it's 'container,' blue, heat-less flames joining the tornado of endless shards that had appeared to engulf the area, becoming a wreath of 'magic' that was as beautiful as it was deadly.

Yes, allowing my magic to combine with theirs, it was clear that the new container of the "End" would be-

"This fight..."

-Each and every shard of the attack generated by my allies, an inescapable call to the end of life that would finish the match in a moment.

"...IS OVER!"

And the name of that attack was-

"Evigheden: Enden-!"

---

Runes Used

Death - 500
Reverse Tower - 60
Sun - NA

[hero]

Fukami Mikoto
Outside the Nakamura Residence- Eyespace


Look for a mark.

For Nakamura Hitomi, a Magus who had been blessed with a 'Perfect Sense' since her awakening, this should have been nothing more than a trivial task. If there was a weakness, her eyes would surely find it. Well, perhaps such an arrogant declaration should not be made, considering the number of abilities that had managed to fool 'Heaven's Gaze' over the years. This was not the case, however, as Kubo Naoya had nothing that could hide his secrets. Everything was in plain sight. Yes... After staring at her opponent for no more than a couple of seconds, Hitomi realized that she had reached another dead end. She had been asked to find a 'mark', and for an experienced Magus like her it had been almost too easy. And that was precisely the problem.

---The mark of Cain was Tsukabe Motoshige's entire body.

Every single 'part' of his armor was the same, and even through some of them had more colorful decorations than others, this had nothing to do with the answer to the puzzle that had to be solved in order to damage him. Not even he knew how to bypass this invincible defense... And he had tried everything. If his Magical Weapon had a weak spot, he would have been the first one to find about it. Then, where lay the answer?

"..."

As her partner tried one more time to convince the man that conflict was not the best way to tackle the situation at hand, Nakamura Hitomi closed her eyes and tried to go back to the beginning in order to find a solution. She didn't have to worry about lowering her guard. After all, even if her eyes were closed, she could still see, sense and predict any events before they happened. Even if her eyes were to be destroyed, 'Heaven's Gaze' would still carry the same effects. That was just how perfect it was.

"..."

She took a deep breath.

Muder's Mark was a curse. A punishment from God himself. Every time she looked at him, the same message played over and over in her mind: 'This man is Cain. He is dangerous. Do not associate with him'. Furthermore, Eternal Wanderer was there to protect Cain. After putting together the three vital pieces of information, Nakamura Hitomi reached the answer surprisingly fast, and acknowledged that her compatibility with this kind of opponent was truly the worst. Not entirely confident in this 'solution', she decided that it was at least worth a try.

---She deactivated her perfect sense, and at that instant...

"Tch... You got it." The man in the black armor said so, as he scratched his head in annoyance. "If you want to do it so badly... We'll cooperate in this game."

His words left you stunned. For a second there, you hesitated to relax your stance, fearing it might be some kind of trick, but after some eye to eye contact, you realized that he was actually serious about this. "Hmph." Noticing your stare, Naoya made a half hearted shrug. "Don't get it wrong, you bastards." He shot a death-piercing glare right back at you. "You just got lucky." He said and pointed at his hand. You instantly understood what he meant.

'Kill the Naughty Fox
180 minutes remain.'

"I don't think any of you qualifies for that nickname, sadly. So I am leaving. Join me in the hunt or go fuck off somewhere else. I don't care."

The only thing that had changed had been the target, he still was set on killing whoever he had to kill in order to go back to the real world. Gritting her teeth, Nakamura Hitomi could not help but to raise her weapons once more, pointing them at Cain's exposed back. If she let him be, he would eventually become a threat for everyone stuck in this fake island. Even if she had promised not to kill the man, something had to be done. She was sure that with her current level of skill, she could at least seal his movements for an hour or so.

But.

"... Going to shoot, or what?" A brief period of silence. "Thought so."

---And, at that instant...

*CRASH*

A considerable part of the Residential District was hit by a giant tornado engulfed in bluish flames. The three of you were far enough to not to suffer any kind of injury, but the sheer amount of power and destruction it brought could not be compared to anything you had seen before. Whoever had 'created' such an attack was surely powerful. When the huge pillar of Magical Energy vanished, you realized that, over there, the battle had ended, too.

"That's brother's...!"

"I see. I am going there next."

With different reactions and goals, Nakamura Hitomi and Kubo Naoya ran towards the same destination.

[hero]

Nakamura Shinji
Starlight Academy - Eyespace


Two hits.

HrafnsmáI activated immediately. With the first bullet, you learnt a little more about Yoshiota Chisato's personality traits and how she used those in combat to lure her opponents into disadvantageous situations. Well, after what had happened during this fight, it wasn't really a new piece of information. Still, you were convinced that you had effectively learnt how to effectively provoke someone and get good results out of it. It was a shame that said knowledge would fade the second you sealed your Magical Weapon. But you didn't really care. Because the second bullet had really hit the spot. Yes, with this, the Golden Apple of Discord was sealed and the endless recovery loop had been destroyed.

---It was over. But for who?

The victor would be decided in the upcoming exchange of blows. You could tell that Chisato and her Magical Armament were at their limit, and that one more hit would be able to put them to rest. And with her most troublesome rune sealed, there was little she could do to defend herself against an all out assault. However, she still had one more chance. Her Magical Reserves were full and with her other abilities rendered useless, there was no reason for her to save mana any longer. She could remove all the limits she had placed upon her Last Resort and fire it at full power. And that would mean Nakamura Shinji's death.

"..." The smoke screen lifted. "Hahahahahahaha..."

It was ironic. Had she gone all out from the start, things would have been different. The reason why she had been pushed into a corner was because she had decided to play safe and avoid taking risks. Feeling threatened, Chisato had been more wary than usual. After being humiliated once, she had promised never to underestimate someone again like that. It was because of this mentality that you had managed to survive up to this point. The harsh truth was that Valravn had never stood a chance against Zeus Lightning. Both powers had tied during the first clash only because the Princess of Tsukuyomi-jima had decided not to put all her Magical Energy into it.

---And now, that was about to change.

"CHECKMATE-!"

There was literally no time to respond. Originally a Mythic Class Last Resort, only a literal god was capable of keeping up with Zeus Lightning's overwhelming power. Its true strength had been sealed, but its speed remained close to the original. And since it barely required any charge up time, this had been the perfect surprise attack. No, maybe that wasn't the right term. You had seen this coming; you had considered it a plausible scenario. You just... Couldn't do anything to avoid this outcome.

---Everything in your view was painted black in color.

"..." That was you, realizing that you wouldn't make it past this. In the face of imminent death, you unconsciously let out a gasp. "Ah."

You tried to avoid it.

You fired your best shot against it.

Truth was, none of that worked. Before he even knew it, Nakamura Shinji had been swallowed by darkness as well.

Nakamura Shinji has taken 600 HP damage.
Nakamura Shinji has been knocked out.
Huginn and Muninn have taken 600 WHP damage.

...

It might have been an hour, it might have been a minute, or maybe just an instant. But when your eyes opened once more, you were still alive. But that was it. You couldn't move, you couldn't speak... You were a vegetable and that wouldn't change anytime soon. Your vision was all a blur and the world had gone completely silent. However, it wasn't hard to tell who was standing next to you, laughing like a maniac. The first thought you had was that it was annoying...

---But then again it didn't matter. You would surely lose consciousness soon enough.

Nakamura Shinji has taken 60 HP damage.

However, contrary to your expectations, you were completely awake by the time the spear pierced your heart without mercy. The pain was so intense that it had that effect on you.

Nakamura Shinji has taken 60 HP damage.
Nakamura Shinji has taken 60 HP damage.
Nakamura Shinji has taken 60 HP damage.

The spectacle continued, as the beast could not be satisfied.

The stabs became more and more repetitive.

The pain was unbearable.

If you could, you would have screamed.

Nakamura Shinji has taken 60 HP damage.
Nakamura Shinji has taken 60 HP damage.
Nakamura Shinji has taken 60 HP damage.
Nakamura Shinji has taken 60 HP damage.
Nakamura Shinji has taken 60 HP damage.

Then you realized that it would never end.

Yoshiota Chisato was an amateur Magus. She wasn't aware of the mechanics behind Magical Weapons. So instead of destroying your gun, she kept attacking your body. Over and over again.

Until the end of time.

-------

Or that was what would have happened if you didn't take into account an unknown variable.

Surprisingly enough, the Dark Thunder stopped on its tracks. It froze and stood still right there, as if repelled by an invisible force. Of course, what seemed to be an eternity happened in just an instant. Zeus Lightning shrunk, adopting a size similar to Chisato's Magical Weapon and without warning made a 180 degree turn. It was a miracle, but undoubtedly, you were not its target anymore.

---It soared through the air at light speed.

Zeus Lightning was a Last Resort that carried the concept of 'Dirty Play'. To reach the most convenient goal, it was a Last Resort ready to take any measures, no matter how unfair they might be. If it was thrown against a stronger Trump Card, it would simply avoid it and focus on the one who fired it. It was a homing blast of energy that could adjust both its size and course with no limitations, defying even the laws of gravity. Finally, it was the Ultimate Technique that targeted the one who expected it the least in order to deal massive damage. To prevent accidents, it also had a lock on function to avoid this last effect.

---Function that in the heat of the battle Yoshiota Chisato had sacrificed in order to launch Zeus Lightning fast enough for it to be a surprise attack.

It would have worked beautifully if Nakamura Shinji had been the only one there with her. But there was one other Magus in the nearby area. No, to be exact, she was not a Magus, but she had the potential to become one. Neither the orange haired girl nor you had noticed Hishikawa Nanako standing there, inside the school, staring through the glass. The one who expected the least to be hit by Zeus Lightning.

---The most vulnerable target.

One second.

She was granted one second before the black nightmare reached her.

In a battle between Magi, dropping your guard for an instant was considered a fatal mistake. There were lot of things that could happen in that short period of time.

However, for the Student Council President...

One second was not nearly enough.

[Katie]

Lucille Fairiday
Residential District – Evening [Eye Space]

Everything hurt.

IT HURT.

IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT IT HURT

why couldnt it stop hurting

---


“I guess that’s enough practice for today.” The boy slammed his blazing sword into the ground, gentle flames illuminating the night. Lucille simply made hers vanish; after all, other than hitting things, it didn’t have much of an alternative use.

“I don’t think I can catch up with you, Takemori… All I can do is destroy stuff.” She sat next to the flaming sword, the warmth a relief from the cold air.

“Hey, don’t look so glum. Even if I have a lot of support spells, I still have my fair share of blasty spells too.” The boy smiled, before sitting down next to her.

“At least you have something other than that,” she scoffed, and stared up at the night sky, the stars shining like fireflies on a black canvas.

“You need to lighten up, Lucille. Good things happen to people who think positively!” Takemori was always such an optimist. No matter what kind of situation it was, he’d always smile and look towards the future.

“It’s a nice night, isn’t it?” He leaned against Lucille’s shoulder with a loud yawn.

“W-what are you d-doing!?” She pushed him off, flailing around in place.

“The tent is too far away and you’re pretty comfortable.” Takemori said, as if it were a perfectly normal thing to do. “Hey… Why is your face all red? Are you sick or something? Can’t let that happen…”

He placed his forehead against hers, before looking at her, confused.

“You’re a bit warm, maybe you’re too close to the fire… And, um, your face is even more red, maybe you should go to a doctor after this…”

“N-no, I’m fine!” Lucille yelled, her arms fluttering around in a panic.

“If you say so…” Takemori shrugged, and put his head in her lap, enjoying the view of the starry sky.

“You should stop shaking, Lucille, it’s hard to relax. The ground and your lap are surprisingly comfortable, though.”

“H-how am I supposed to stay calm if—N-never mind…” How could he talk about this so casually when he was doing things like this!? But she stopped shaking, through some sort of willpower she didn’t think she had.

“Thanks. It feels a lot nicer now.” Takemori stifled a yawn, and pointed at the stars, straight into the heavens. “You know, when we’re both strong enough, I want us to travel the world. To save people, you know? A person for every star.”

“…” Ah, another one of those cute Takemori things again.

“Nothing? Not even a ‘That’s impossible, Takemori!’ or ‘You’re such an idealist!’ or ‘You’re such an idiot!’?”

“Even if I told you those kinds of things, you’d just ignore me.” It had happened before, and would most certainly happen again.

“Ahahaha, that’s true. But is that all?”

“…Not really. I’m your… best friend, so I’m always there for you. Whatever you do, I’ll be there right beside you to support it with all my might. It sounded kinda poetic, too, so that might have helped.” Great, now she sounded like a dork too. It was a nice kind of dorky, but still dorky.

“Mmmm, really?” He yawned again, and she figured that sleep would get to him faster than it did to her. He always worked harder…

“Yeah. Didn’t I say that before?”

No response. He had fallen asleep, although his magical weapon, the precious sword covered in flame, still radiated with warmth and light.

“…How am I supposed to lift you back to the tent…?” She wondered aloud, and sighed. Takemori, that absentminded ditz. He had heart, but sometimes common sense just wasn’t there for him…

“A person for every star…”

It sounded nice, actually. Idealistic, but beautiful and nice in its own way. Just like the Takemori-chan sleeping in her lap.

---


Takemori-chan…

Reality came back to her as a hazy dream, tearing away at the peaceful wonderland of her precious memories. Lucille dimly noticed the blue-haired woman next to her, and tried to grab her Magical Weapon in futility. If she was going to die…

It would be with a smile.

Sorry for being so weak…

"... You are not one of them."

…!?

What the hell did that mean...? The woman had kicked away her magical weapon to keep it away from her, but that didn't matter. Snake of Eden was like a loyal dog; it would come back, no matter what had happened to it.

"Extend, Snake of Eden." The sword grew in length and twisted through the air, and she grabbed the blade with her bare hands, not caring if she got cut. The blade retracted, and she had the hilt within grabbing distance. Mana poured through her body to mend her wounds, but it would take time for her to recover.

"..." She acknowledged you were in no condition of fighting. "... Should have focused on the summoner."

"I'm in enough pain as it is, no need to stomp on my precious pride," she hissed. Using Snake of Eden as a crutch, she got up, and limply tried to follow the odd mage who had decided not to kill her.

She could never understand that logic; whether it was pity or some other disgusting emotion, she should have been killed. A wish was worth more than a random person's life, no?

But Lucille Fairiday was not dead, and the best she could do was follow the person who spared her life.

And the wish, of course. The wish was the most important thing.

---

Regeneration: 20 MP

[MssrNeko]

Nakamura Shinji
Starlight Academy Rooftops - Eyespace
Time Unknown

A stroke of chance.

Fate had played its hand and Shinji would live at the cost of another's life.

He pays no heed to the explosion nor of its victim, that can wait. All that mattered was the girl in front of him. Yoshiota Chisato, the self-proclaimed "Queen of Tsukuyomi-jima", the magus "Discordia" with her pitch black spear, Eris. Her Runes were useless and her Last Resort was wasted on an unfortunate bystander. With that, Chisato's magical reserves were effectively zero or near to zero. Her chances of surviving this were non-existent.

The Raven raises his black-and-white rifle.

The target was still in shock, her attention at the misfired lightning.

Shinji's sight locks on to his target. Eris, the Spear of Chaos.

In the end of all things, chaos would give way to order. Discord to harmony. Balance had to be restored, but not without incident.

---A shot is fired.

It may not be enough to kill a goddess, but it was enough for this task.

+---------------------------+

Raven Shot
MP Used: 10
S Precision 2x Modifier

[hero]

Lucille Fairiday
Residential District – Evening [Eye Space]


"... Stop."

Walking with a limp, you had followed the blue haired woman out of the house and into the 'battlefield'. She had decided to completely ignore your presence after she had confirmed that you weren't one of the individuals she was looking for. In all honesty, she wanted nothing to do with you or the other participants that had nothing to do with her 'unfinished business'. And by following Rogue Flame, you had become an inconvenience to her. Or to put it in other words...

---A burden.

"Get any closer to me and I will burn you." She turned around to face you. That's when you realized she was really serious about it. There was not even room for jokes here. "There is something I want to set aflame, and it's not you. But if you give me a reason, I will reduce you to ashes in an instant."

That's why you instinctively flinched. This person was even scarier than the giant serpent that had sent you flying over a Kilometer with a single movement of its tail. You still doubted Rogue Flame could handle such a big and powerful creature in combat, but if you were sure of something, it was that this girl really meant what she said. Then, there was no other choice but to go separate ways. That is, if you valued your life as much as you valued your pride. Fortunately, the snake was focused on something else and had never paid any attention to you in the first place, so you could flee from the scene without any trouble. Or that was what you honestly thought at the time.

"Wait-." You didn't really expect the girl that had rejected you to suddenly grab your arm and pull you close to her. "Change of plans." Not even aware that she had pulled you too close for your comfort, Rogue Flame did not let go. The look on her face made it evident that she was about to make a request. "That person is on the run. If we let the one behind all this get away... Then we will regret it later." She seemed to know more than what she was letting out. Had she met the Mastermind before? "I will go after that person. When I do that, I will become Jörmungandr's primary target." The blue haired girl said. Her voice and the expression on her face... Neither of them carried any emotion. And, in a sense, that's what made her words more believable. "That's why I will need you to buy me some time. Create a diversion."

By the time you regained control over your body, Rogue Flame was gone. And you knew what that meant: You had been given the choice to cooperate with her at the risk of your own life... Or showing her the foolishness of trusting a stranger in a life or death situation. In your current condition and against such a powerful boss, you would be lying if you weren't inclined to pick the second option.

Just as you finally made your mind...

Something in the distance caught your attention.

-------


Hisamatsu Kanko
Residential District – Evening [Eye Space]


Launching several attacks in rapid succession, the Midgard Serpent unleashed a merciless offense. With body slams, acid shots and even a barrage of Magical Projectiles being shot from its body, the legendary monster dominated the battlefield. Just being grazed by one of these attacks could end the life of a human being, and put that of a Magus at severe risk. With a pace that waited for no one, it was evident that, in a fight against Jörmungandr, there were little to no chances of victory. That's why you'd had the urge to flee since you had first saw it. However, Yamada Hayate seemed to share a different opinion.

"Hah-! Ah-!" His fists intercepted each and every attack, and while he was clearly being pushed back, he didn't seem to be worried about it in the slightest. To be honest, that he was still standing after stopping so many powerful attacks... That deed alone was worthy of praise. "It's been a while since I've had a battle like this... Hah!" He didn't take his eyes off the enemy. "A formidable opponent, indeed... Ugh... Hah-!" There was no doubt that he was enjoying himself. "Still, too easy. I could fight this thing... All day long-!"

As his punch connected with the jaw of the creature, the impossible happened. Even though Hayate shouldn't have the necessary strength to do so, his fist had managed to throw part of the giant snake's body into the air, causing it to lose its balance and crash down with an incredible force, which at the same time created a quite noticeable earthquake.

"..." The world seemed to go silent as the monster laid on the ground, defeated. Yamada Hayate had destroyed the possibility of running away and challenged the Midgard Serpent head on, finishing the battle in an instant, before you could do anything to help. "... Done already?"

As if to answer to the boy's taunting line, the beast rose, enraged. However, contrary to your expectations, its attention diverted to something in the distance. As ironic as it sounded, you had stopped being a 'target' to it. Instead, you were now being labeled as 'obstacles'. As the snake lunged forward to search for its prey, it left a trail of sticky green liquid. It resembled the acid Jörmungandr used to shoot, and it looked poisonous.

"Hey... Wait-! Are you running away-?!" Hayate's first reaction was to try and catch up with his fleeing opponent, but he was promptly stopped by something else. "...?!"

Standing on his way was an incredible number of spider-like creatures. Seeing as they had not been there a second ago, you deduced that the green liquid was 'giving birth' to them. Soon, they surrounded the both of you in a circle formation. Without making a single move, each of them seemed to stare deep into your soul.

And when one of them leapt at you, you realized that you had been caught in an unavoidable battle.

[hero]

Reynard Everheart
Milky Way - Night


Thud.

You looked up at the starry sky above. It was indeed a beautiful night. Your Magical Weapons had returned to their sealed state, and no trace had been left of all the damage they had caused. Even the wounds inflicted by Fragarach -against which there existed no cure- had healed up instantly. But only that night sky -that work of art that could not be replicated- served as the undeniable proof of your return.

This was definitely the Tsukuyomi-jima you knew.

"..."

In the end, a victor could not be determined. The bluish world had disappeared before you had been able to pull the trigger. Even without her sword, Sawai Mihou had proven to be stronger during the clash, and the force of the momentum had managed to throw the two of you off your balance. As a result, you had both fallen on top of Johnie, and you still remained that way now. It was truly an embarrassing position, but none of you seemed to have any qualms about it. Instead, there was only silence inside the closed up Mall.

"..."

Maybe it was because you could hardly move. The pain was still there. It was not hard to come to the conclusion that what had changed had been the 'nature' of the damage you had taken. All your 'physical damage' had been turned into 'stress damage' in order to keep you alive. Why? You were given no answer. For now all you could do was suspect.

... It seemed that Mihou had fallen asleep from the exhaustion. Like a contagious disease, you began to feel sleepy too, and it didn't take long for everything to fade to black...

-------

"You've been out forty minutes."

That was the first thing you heard from Sawai Mihou when you woke up. She was still laying on the cold floor, now next to you, possibly still there because she lacked the ability to move properly without her Magical Weapon manifested. Conversely, Johnie Gamble had managed to sneak away while the two of you were asleep, and now leaned against a wall, lost in thought. When he noticed your stare, however, he smiled and nodded, as to acknowledge your presence.

A lot of crazy things had happened. But now that you were back to the real world everything seemed... So normal. As if nothing had happened at all. Had it all been nothing more than a dream...?

As if to provide an answer to that question, the girl spoke up:

"The next time we meet... We might not be enemies." She started. There was no hesitation, no doubt or shyness in what she had to say. "There are many bad people out there... But you are not one of them." The girl was addressing the two of you. "I've only tested you a couple of times, but you have not failed, not even once." After a brief pause where she closed her eyes before opening them again, the swordsman continued. "There are also many good people out there... Good people that will have to be sacrificed for the greater good. There is no avoiding it. But-" Sawai Mihou looked at you straight in the eye. "... If I face you again, I feel that my blade will be duller than it was tonight... Your lives can only be spared at the cost of mine, so a fight in the future might be unavoidable. But, if possible, I'd like to make a truce."

Johnie Gamble raised an eyebrow.

"... You are sure strange, Mihou-Chan. I've already forgiven you for everything you had done, so there is no need to be like that. I can barely understand half of what you are saying, you know?" The American boy confessed, a little troubled. "My English is not that good... And that samurai accent you are using now only makes it more difficult..." And then, as struck by a lightning of inspiration... "I know! We should play Strip Poker to heal our souls...!"

Sawai Mihou ignored him completely, and focused her gaze on you.

"... I am sure you have a lot you want to ask, Everheart. I forced you to answer honestly during the fight, so it's only fair for you to do the same now. I will answer any question you throw at me with nothing but the truth. But only once..."

For some reason, you felt as if you were still being tested...

[Suncofold]

Hisamatsu Kanko
Residential District – Evening [Eye Space]

Hayate was fighting off the serpent with stamina and endurance that Kanko just didn’t have. Swerving and ducking around Magical Projectiles, Kanko felt a healthy level of respect for the other boy. He simply didn’t have the same abilities. Kanko was better suited to fighting more human individuals; this monstrosity was far out of his league.

Just then, Hayate landed a blow that, contrary to the force he had earlier displayed, was powerful enough to send the serpent up before it crashed down. For a moment, it stayed down, but when it got back up, its attention was focused elsewhere. With barely a backward glance, it began to slither away, leaving a trail of green liquid.

"Hey... Wait-! Are you running away-?!" Hayate started, but halted.

Spiders were arising from the green liquid, right in a circle around the two. Kanko stared warily at them, his hand flexing around Tekmor’s hilt. Acting on some unseen signal – or maybe it was just individual initiative – one of the spiders suddenly launched itself forwards.

Too slow.

A black flame sparking to life across the length of Tekmor’s blade, Kanko darted forward to meet the spider head-on, confident of his speed. If this battle was unavoidable, then he would make damn sure that he would win!

[Mereo Flere]

Reynard Everheart
Evening - Milky Way

A time out...

To be honest, Rei never knew that the battle could reach a conclusion such as that. Yet, for some reason, it had happened; just before their final clash, they had returned to the real world, where once again they found their magical armaments sealed. Though he felt relieved that the fight was over, Rei couldn't help but feel like there was something ominous about the whole situation. If he recalled correctly, there had been something etched on his hand earlier - a condition that needed to be fulfilled within a time limit. While Rei felt that he had spent an eternity in that match against Mihou, there was no way an hour and a half had passed.

If there was any reason they had been pushed out of that other world prematurely, it could only be this: Someone had fulfilled the condition.

Was it the Fallen Mother? Or was it someone else? Given the way that Mihou had chosen to "spare" him after she had already once dealt a blow that would have erased him from existence, it was entirely possible a single person's death was all that was needed to escape that world. Johnie had been her priority then because he was an "Irregular" as she had put it - in other words, an unknown factor who hadn't even been aware that he was a magus - and if she had killed Rei first she would not have been able to eliminate Johnie. Still...

He didn't understand the purpose of that world to begin with. It was clear that that was a ritual, one that Mihou herself seemed to be caught up in; but what did anybody have to gain from having magi kill each other? If there was a goal they were after, pooling resources seemed like a more natural thing than murder.

There were a lot of mysteries surrounding that other space, a lot of questions he could ask. However, with Mihou promising to give him a single truthful answer, Rei knew that he would have to think carefully over it. It was entirely possible that this was the only chance that he might get, after all - and he couldn't screw it up.

Ultimately, though, there was only one thing he could ask...

"Who has gotten caught up in this?" Rei asked, staring up at the ceiling.

More than the purpose of the ritual or identity of the mastermind behind it all, the most important thing he needed to know was who he would have to protect while bringing an end to this chaos.

[hero]

Nakamura Akio
Residential District II - Eyespace


Combined strength gave birth to a new power.

Evigheden: Enden, a fitting name for a Trump Card that could literally put an end to anything. Even concepts that were meant to last for an eternity would be forced to 'change' when faced against this Mythic Class Last Resort. There were hundreds of thousands of crystal shards, and each of them had been imbued with the concept of death. Just being grazed by one would prove to be fatal. A truly frightening ultimate attack to which existed no escape.

---By the time it ended, a huge part of the Residential District had been turned to rubble.

There were no traces left of your enemy, the battle was definitely over. Unlike your companions, who now rested on one knee, exhausted, you still felt capable of going for another round of fighting. While the battle had proved to be a challenge, the damage you had taken was minimum or non-existent and your Magical Reserves were enough to put up a fight against any kind of danger that might show up. This seemed to cause a good impression on Katsurimi Haseno, or at least leave her a little impressed for some reason. Whatever it might have been, her face quickly returned to its usual cold expression.

At the same time, the world returned to its usual color scale. The destroyed houses were 'repaired' in an instant, and all in all it felt like watching a movie on rewind, as the the Residential District... No, the entire island was restored to what it once used to be. The only difference was that now it was night time and so the streets were a lot darker than what they used to be earlier that day.

"... Did the Fallen Mother die?" The white haired girl asked herself. "Or did we just...?" She didn't look confused; rather she was focused on trying to find the truth behind the matter. "Hmmm..." And it gave you the impression that she knew more than what she was letting out...

"Ugh... Is it finally over...?" On the other hand, Aomori Mana looked as if she could faint any time now. She had awakened her powers during this battle and had probably overused it to create the road to victory. "Kuh... Can someone explain to me what the hell was all that?" Coming back to her senses, the girl asked the most logical question someone in her situation could have come up with.

"It's not over." Haseno noted, as the two of them rose to their feet. "There is no reason to believe this will stop any time soon. Assume your peaceful days are over." She added with a harsh tone.

"Keh..." Mana frowned. "Then at least tell me what the fuck is going on. You are not telling us everything you know. I can see it in your eyes."

"Heh..." The white haired girl chuckled. "We worked together to get past the first round... If I told you everything I know... Would that remain the same? Can I really trust you?" She glanced at you for a second, and then her vision diverted back to the brunette. "Even if you are not the one behind this, chances are that you are somehow related. I doubt we were chosen for this at random." She crossed her arms. "I am willing to cooperate, but for now I am playing safe and keeping what I know to myself."

"..."

"Someone is coming. We have to hide."

Without any kind of warning, you were pushed into a narrow alley. The next thing you knew, you were sharing it with the white haired girl. Maybe you would have found the fact that your bodies were pressed against each other pleasant, if she had not made sure to make it this painful. With one of her hands covering your mouth, a forearm pressed against your throat, and her legs ready to execute a powerful kick to your unprotected areas if you tried something stupid, you could officially confirm that you had been successfully immobilized. You had barely any room left to breathe. It was evident that she didn't want the two of you to be found there. A normal girl wouldn't have been able to pull something like that against someone with your strength, so you figured Haseno must have had some kind of military or martial arts training.

Flustered and with no other place to hide, Aomori Mana was forced to climb a fence and find cover inside a neighbor's garden. From your position, you managed to catch a glimpse of it, and found it a little surprising that she had done it so quickly. Maybe Mana was used to this kind of thing?

By the time you noticed the steps, there was little to no time to do anything. They stopped only a couple of seconds after that.

"Meh. I am sure I sensed at least three people over here." A man said, as he stepped into your field of view. It was hard to see because of the dark, but his voice was enough to tell you that he was one of the few people you didn't want to mess up with. Despite his uncaring tone, there was something to it that made him really intimidating. "And with Murder Mark gone, I can't tell shit anymore. Waste of time."

The second person you spotted was a girl. Even in the darkness, her green hair and long red scarf stuck out.

"Let's take a look around..." That was a voice you did recognize. "My brother is good at hide and seek. And I am sure he is still around. I can feel it."

That was your sister, Nakamura Hitomi.

[Airen]

Nakamura Akio
Residential District II

This was a different situation.

The world had returned to it's usual state of being, the eerie azure color fading from the air and sky as the usual dark colors of night reappeared to take their place. The houses that had been reduced to rubble by the sheer strength of the Last Resort were restored to their former forms in an instant, another sign that the world we had just managed to escape had been nothing more than some mimicry of what we called the real world. Staring silently at the sky as Mana questioned the enigmatic white haired girl, I couldn't help but feel an intense sense of relief even as I listened to the growing argument between the two women.

I had almost died, been mere moments away from losing my life.

It wasn't the first time such a thing had happened, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

But, it did feel good to be alive at this moment.

After a battle, it always did.

"Someone is coming. We have to hide."

I had felt the approaching presence as well, but before I could even acknowledge it, I was shoved into a nearby alleyway by the white haired woman, one of her arms moving to cover my mouth as her forearm pressed against my throat, pinning me to the rough brick wall. Ordinarily, being this close to an attractive woman would definitely be a good thing, but almost as if she could see that particular thought brewing on the surface of my mind, she moved her legs just a bit, enough to show that if I tried anything dumb, she had the space to deliver quite a powerful kick to my currently undefended body.

Seemed that she still didn't trust me completely, which, I suppose, made sense from her point of view.

...I could probably break her grip if I wanted too, but that would just result in me taking at least one attack I would otherwise avoid, and I wanted to remain in good standing with this girl, so I didn't attempt to break free, although I told myself I would break her grip if she started pushing against my throat any harder, it was getting hard enough to breathe as it was...

Turning my head a bit, I glanced out of the darkness we were hiding in, just in time to see Mana slip over a fence to get away in a single, almost practiced motion.

Impressive.

And, just as she disappeared from view, a man appeared out of the darkness, his demeanor marking him as the kind of person you would normally leave alone, an anti-social aura that was almost threatening in how obvious it was.

"Meh. I am sure I sensed at least three people over here. And with Murder Mark gone, I can't tell shit anymore. Waste of time."

Murder Mark?

Well, wasn't that an interesting name...

Behind him, appeared yet another person I didn't recognize, her features were a bit hidden by the darkness, but even from here, the red of her scarf, as well as the green of her hair was prominent.

And, behind her...

"Let's take a look around... My brother is good at hide and seek. And I am sure he is still around. I can feel it."

Sis?

Whatever remaining stress I felt at the situation faded with the ever familiar sound of my older sister's voice. If she was walking around here, then the battle was truly over, even if an enemy appeared, it would be dealt with as if it was nonexistent.

After all, unlike me, Nakamura Hitomi really was a hero.

Tapping the white haired woman on her shoulder, I pointed towards Hitomi, who was probably just gonna find me in a couple of seconds anyway, and then pointed back towards myself, before I pulled her hand away from my mouth, my left leg moving to intercept the kick I was sure she had been ready to spring on me this whole time.

"That's my sister, it's okay."

I wasn't sure who the other two were, but if Hitomi saw fit to let them move around with her, then they couldn't be that bad.

Still-

Hitomi, like myself, was a magus, as was this white haired woman, and even Mana, who didn't seem to be a magus, possessed a sort of supernatural talent of her own. Since this was true, it would make sense that these two people with my sister were magi as well, so...

Was that world a place only the supernatural could enter?

If so, I needed to check in with Rei as soon as I managed to get out of this woman's grip. Hitomi wasn't freaking out, so I was pretty sure he was okay, but still, I couldn't really be blamed for over-worrying about my best friend...

Regardless, if those people were magi, then perhaps they knew something about the current situation? The woman pinning me to the wall was apparently unwilling to tell me anything, but sister had never lied to me, so I was sure that if she knew anything she would tell me what I wanted to know, and even if she didn't, that green haired girl didn't have too anti-social an aura, so I might be able to learn something from her as well...

After I did that...

I still had to walk Mana home, and head on back to Raku's place...

Quite a long night still lay ahead of me.

[hero]

Nakamura Shinji
Starlight Academy - Eyespace


"Ah."

It had all happened in just an instant. Something had gone wrong with her Last Resort and, as a result, Yoshiota Chisato had naturally taken her eyes off her opponent. By the time the girl realized the mistake she had made, it was already too late: The weapon she had once held had been reduced to nothing but Magic Particles which had quickly spread through the air, leaving the Queen of Tsukuyomi-jima with empty hands.

---It was over.

Once a Magical Weapon was destroyed, a Magus could not avoid the fate that awaited him or her. Since they had become one during the awakening, the death of one meant the death of the other. With bodies that transcended humans and Magical Weapons to support and heal them, Magi were practically immortal. With just that one exception... Indeed, the stone that granted them inumerable strengths was also their biggest weakness...

... And Yoshiota Chisato knew none of this. She was not aware that she only had a few minutes left to live. To her, the outcome could still be changed. It was not impossible to defeat her enemy. No matter how dirty she would have to play to attain victory, she would do it. No matter how much pride and how much humiliation she would have to face in this battle... She was willing to throw away it all. Because this was the last struggle... To reach the future she had been longing for. Nakamura Shinji might have taken away the fame, respect and reputation that had taken the girl years to achieve. But she was stronger than that...

A girl who could bear any burden. A girl who could overturn any situation in her favor. A girl who could start over from zero as if it were nothing.

Behind the mask, that was who Yoshiota Chisato truly was.

"Sorry, I know some loser like you doesn't deserve it..." Steeling her resolve, her expression turned serious. More serious than anything you had seen before. You could swear a fiery, orange aura surrounded her now. "But I am about to give you a twenty-!"

Her Magical Weapon had been destroyed.

Her Magical Reserves had been fully depleted.

Her body was slowly falling apart, piece by piece.

And even so... The Queen of Tsukuyomi-Jima didn't think of defeat-!

Nakamura Shinji has taken 60 HP damage.

The force behind the unexpected kick was enough to send you flying back several meters. When you landed, your body rolled numerous times until a conveniently placed tree put a stop to it. Having trouble to stand, you realized that the attack had broken more than one rib. She was no ghost. Yoshiota Chisato stood there, ready to continue the fight. You were not sure what was keeping her in this world for so long, and it was almost cruel that she was using her time to beat you up like this, but...

---It didn't seem like she would disappear before seeing your dead body.

However...

The next time she came into range, you blasted a hole through her chest with no consideration for who she was or what she wanted to achieve. In a battle where one killed or was killed, that was the only way to fight-!

"Ugghhgghghjh..." She went down instantly. Not even an enormous amount of willpower would help her stand. "Kuufasfgahh...!" Coughing on her own blood, Yoshiota Chisato desperately asked for one last breath...

It was time to finish this once and for all.

If destroying her Magical Weapon had not been enough to send her to the afterlife... This would.

"...Sss.........Rry..." You pointed your rifle at her unprotected head, and ignored the tears that flowed out of her eyes. From this close, you would certainly not miss the shot. "....F.......ive..........Me........."

It seemed ironic. Only now that death was knocking to her door, the girl decided to apologize. You figured it was a fitting end for this fiasco.

".......R........E...........I........."

---Goodbye

-------

The child of the miracle.

That's how they had called him, as if he had been sent to this world by God himself. Could you believe it?

The Media had done a good job in turning a mass murder into the story of a blessed baby.

Truth was, nothing of what had happened that night should have been ever considered a miracle.

My mother, my older brothers and eight people more in the neighborhood, all had been murderered by the famous serial killer Jake the Stretcher. Even at this time, I was sure that he was still considered a legend by the townfolk. Funny how I had not realized it any sooner. That man...

---Was my father.

That's how it had all started.

My brother and I were sent to an orphanage. As the only eye witness, I was the only one to know the truth. To my younger brother, who was still in my mothers womb when the killings had taken place, everyone had died in a car accident. That was the best they could come up with. As for me, I was not allowed to say a word about it. Even when we finally got adopted and sent to live to Tsukuyomi-jima, I kept my mouth shut.

I looked at my brother in the eye, day after day, and saw a naive person. He was probably the first person I've ever considered a loser, besides myself. I started beating him up, figured that would toughen him up a bit. If I couldn't tell him, then I wanted him to figure out. And if he couldn't, I at least wanted him to stand his ground.

But that only helped us to grow distant...

My first day at Starlight Academy was tough. Thankfully, I was a girl who had learned how to defend herself. I bet nobody remembers... My attitude and appearance were so different back then. My hair was dyied black and my looks were so intimidating nobody wanted to talk to me. Even so, three girls dared to make fun of me. I didn't do shit. I didn't really care... So I didn't defend myself. Soon enough, my life became miserable.

But something made me want to change.

I saw him fighting. He was on the losing side, and yet he didn't ask for help. His movements were that of a hero, and his voice only made him manlier. I fell in love at first sight. I couldn't help but to admire his strength.

His name, I will never forget.

Reynard Everheart.

But no matter how much I followed his actions, how much I thought I knew him or how much I daydreamed of a happy marriage, that was nothing more than a fantasy. So I decided to change myself. To enter the jungle on my own free will and come out a stronger person. Even if I were to lose myself, I would come out as someone worthy of him.

That was the promise I made.

-------

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAH-! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH-!!!"

"What-?!"

Against all odds, Yoshiota pulled herself up. After all the damage she had taken... And without a Magical Weapon to provide support... And with her death warranted... This should be impossible by all means-!

And still...

She fought so fiercely-!

You instinctively dodged the punch thrown your way. But she had become so fast...!

"HHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH HH-! GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH-!!!"

Who the hell was this girl...?! Her eyes were those of a monster-!

The kick that came next would not be able to be avoided. If the previous kick had been like being struck by a giant hammer, then this one... Would feel like being crushed under the weight of the entire planet...!

However...

Thud.

Unexpectedly, Yoshiota Chisato last attack fell flat on her face. There was no energy left to fuel her actions.

After all that, she had finally reached her limit...

You fell on your butt as you watched whatever remained of her body turn into particles and disappear into the sky.

As to signal the end of the struggle, the world returned what it once was.

Taking a look around, you discovered the school was still standing. In fact, it was intact.

...

You could even hear the students hosting a party inside...

[Sei]

Fukami Mikoto
Residential District II- Night

At this point, I seriously don't know what to expect. What I believed would be a fairly peaceful day turned into something rather chaotic. Event after event just seems to unfold and we still have no solid answers as to what is going on. With the target switching from 'The Fallen Mother' to 'The Naughty Fox', the intent behind this twisted farce has become even more unclear. What's more, as we run to the location of that massive blast, the mysterious zone where it was possible for use to realize ourselves as mages disappears. With, our magical powers disperse as well. So, in the brief moment of time between the Nakamura household to our destination, 'Naughty Fox' was either defeated... or the person behind all this gave up altogether... None of it has yet to make any sense to me, and it bothers me to no end.

"..."

I don't doubt that this will happen again. After all, if what Tsukabe said is true, the mastermind sees this all as some sort of game. With that in mind, I have to prepare myself for the next time it happens. There's still a lot I don't know about that world, but I do know that people's lives are being tampered with. If I can, I'd like to end it all without casualties. However, at the very least, I can protect Hitomi and Tsukabe. I owe them at least that much.

By the time we reach the sight of the blast, I've had plenty of time to think and set it all aside in my mind. With the three of us finally coming to a stop, we look around and observe the area only to realize that no one is here. But what's even more surprising is that there are no signs of damage anywhere, as if that blast had never occured. It's strange, but that blue space was equally so. If I had to guess, I'd say that while the emergence of it allows for us to use our magical weapons, the disapearance repairs an damage created by them. After all, it seems to be a special zone made specifically for magi to battle in.

"But..."

I can't help but start a thought out loud. After all, while the world has returned to the way it was before, the effects of my powers have not completely vanished. While I'm no longer wearing a certain coat, the scarf I made while in that space has caried over back into reality. It makes me wonder a bit about the 'rules' of that place and what exactly they mean to me. It's something to think about, but not right now.

"Meh. I am sure I sensed at least three people over here. And with Murder Mark gone, I can't tell shit anymore. Waste of time."

"Let's take a look around... My brother is good at hide and seek. And I am sure he is still around. I can feel it."

We're here to look for Hitomi's brother, Nakamura Akio. Just as I'd thought earlier, he too is a magus and seems to have gotten caught up in that whole incident as well. After seeing that explosion, I'd have to wonder about his current state myself. Chances are he's used up quite a bit of energy and laying low to avoid unnecesary conflict. But what has me wondering is how Tsukabe said there were three people here. With everyone hiding and no one to ask, I feel like I should be considering the fact that one or more are enemies.

"No, you've helped us out a bit, Tsukabe-san."

First thing's first, I have to thank the armor magus for what he's done. While he may consider it small, I think it's significant enough to warrant some gratitude. Though his intentions might be different from ours, he didn't have to share this info with us. So with a light pat on the shoulder and a small smile, I acknowledge his effort.

"Thank you. I guess you're not such a bad guy after all."

Looking over to Hitomi who has already started scanning the area, our eyes meet briefly and we nod at each other understandingly. She moves to examine one side of the area while I go on to look at the other half. Looking over what I have to work with, I recall my experience as an 'apprentice' and try to put myselves in Akio's shoes. Assuming that I'd be low on mana with the impression that another enemy could be approaching, where would be a good spot to hide while still being able to watch for enemy movements. With all the shrubbery and fences around, there are plenty of places to hide; however, what catches my eye above all is a narrow alleyway not to far off from where we are. Not only is it good for watching the street, but it's also easy to slip in and out of when necessary.

Confident in my intuition, I move over to the alleyway slow enough so as not to alarm anyone, but fast enough to keep anyone from escaping.

"Hellooo..."

Playfully announcing myself, I peer into the alleyway and find not one, but two people tightly packed together. The first is a boy who I recognize immediately as Akio, but the second person is a woman who is a mystery to me. But the only thing that I can seem to think about is the interesting... 'position' these two are in. The fact that I've even found Hitomi's younger brother comes second in my mind. I can't get over how this white-haired woman is dressed. Portion of it looks like it has been... 'torn'... And judging by the overall length of her clothes, if she so much as moved funny in perfect condition, I imagine she'd be turning a lot of heads...

Looking blankly at the two for a couple of seconds, my mind finally catches up and informs me what to say next.

"Hitomi-san!"

[hero]

Nakamura Akio & Fukami Mikoto
Residential District II - Night

"Thank you. I guess you're not such a bad guy after all."

"Tsk..."

Tsukade Motoshige quickly shoved your hand off his shoulder and took a step away from you. It was clear that he didn't enjoy being treated as something close to a friend or a teammate. While he had agreed to cooperate with you for the time being, he had thought of it as part of business. After all the kindness you had showed him this evening, he was probably a little confused as to what to think about you. While you wanted to believe that you had made a good impression, as someone who had seen his past and understood him to an extent, you knew that if you kept making those remarks without giving the guy some rest, you would cause a bad reaction.

"You are hopeless..."

You decided to leave the man alone and concentrate on the search for Hitomi's brother. Putting yourself in Akio's shoes, you attempted to locate a suitable hiding spot.

A suspicious alleyway caught your attention...

"That's my sister, it's okay."

"..."

Despite the difficulty of the task, your body moved to intercept the unavoidable knee strike -There wasn't enough space for a full-fledged kick- thrown at you. Speed, power, combat training and sheer luck allowed you to succeed. In doing so, however, you had pushed her right leg to the side, a movement that had left you both in an even more embarrassing position. With her chest pressed against your own and her being close enough to feel her breathing, you couldn't help but to feel a little uncomfortable. Seemingly unbothered by this, Katsurimi Haseno figured it would be best to take her other arm out of the way before you fainted out of lack of oxygen. And then, the white haired girl bared her teeth in sheer amusement; something you had not expected to see. Maybe it had been caused by your reactions, maybe it had been the overall situation, maybe she had liked the way you had deflected her attack or maybe it was because she felt that she still was in a dominant position... It could have been many things. The truth was, that sight alone left you stunned for an instant. And just then...

"Hitomi-san!"

Alerted by your call, the blue haired girl ran to your position. At the same time, Haseno was forced to step out of the alley -Not as gracefully as she might have hoped-, and grabbing Akio by the arm, she made sure to take the boy with her. What should have been an emotional meeting had instead devolved into something akin to a hostage situation. Instinctively taking a step back, you watched as the two girls leered at each other. You could feel the hostility...

"Akio..." The fact that Nakamura Hitomi wasn't hugging his brother at that precise instant made it evident that she wasn't very happy to find him in these... Conditions. Surprisingly enough, the killing intent she emitted was not directed at the boy, but at the enigmatic white haired girl. "... What has this woman done to you?"

Before anyone could say a word, however, the mysterious Magus let go of the boy and walked towards Hitomi, entering her range and challenging her with a heart of ice.

This was bad...

What came next happened so fast that your eyes could only catch a glimpse of it.

"...?!"

Hitomi Nakamura had taken out a gun that she had kept hidden up to this point, and had immediately aimed it at her 'opponent's' head. However, Haseno had seen this coming and, with a swift movement, she had managed to effectively take the weapon away from Hitomi's hands, and now she was the one pointing it at her.

'Click' 'Click'

But the one who was surprised the most was Katsurimi Haseno. Because in the short amount of time that it had taken her to pull the trigger, Nakamura Hitomi had not only managed to pull out yet another gun, but she had also removed the magazine of a weapon she was not holding, effectively winning the match. Accepting the bitter taste of defeat, the white haired girl returned the weapon to its rightful owner. And then...

"They didn't mention you were this reckless, Katsurimi Haseno."
"They didn't mention you were this fast, Nakamura Hitomi."

After that, the tension disappeared almost immediately. With the revelation that, somehow, the two of them had heard of each other and were on good terms -Or at least it seemed to be that way-, the peace returned to the streets. Leaving the questions for later -There was no escaping it-, Nakamura Hitomi finally gave his brother a big, big hug.

...

...

...

... Was she going to ever let go of him?

-------

"..."

As your sister's show of affection finally came to an end, you were met with the gaze of an awfully silent Aomori Mana. She had just climbed down the other side of the fence and now stared at you with the fierce eyes of a lion. You didn't have to ask her what was bothering her to know what was going through her head. She probably felt uncomfortable seeing you around so many girls she didn't know...

With a killing intent unheard of and the premonition that the conversation was about to divert to topics you preferred not to touch, you decided to take action. It was then that...

"If you are fucking done..." The only other male in the group spoke up. "I'd like to talk about what matters here... K? Thanks."

... Well, he summed it up pretty well.

[hero]

Reynard Everheart
Milky Way - Night


"..."

While the swordsman stayed silent, the faint smile on her face indicated that you had not made a mistake in which question to ask. Sawai Mihou didn't have to say it out loud, but the truth was that you had passed yet another test. Granted, there had been never a 'correct choice' in the first place, but there were several things that would have caused a bad impression had you asked about them instead. The fact that you were curious about the participants of the war told her that you were worried about them to an extent, and that you would probably fight to stop further conflict. Yes, instead of asking for someone to punish, you had requested to know who to protect. And this girl respected that decision like no other person on Earth.

"Then let me tell you..." She started. "About the sixteen warriors that have been chosen to fight in Ragnarok."

-------

You listened attentively as Mihou gave away the names of the unlucky souls that had been trapped into this sick game one by one. It didn't take long for you to realize that many of them were students of Starlight Academy. Among them were Nakamura Akio, Natsume Raku and Hishikawa Nanako... And of course, yourself. As you realized that your worst fears had been come true, you felt a hole open up in your heart. Your brain quickly assumed the worst: That just minutes from now, one of them had been killed. You did your best to push the thought aside, but it was impossible to deny that you were worried.

But the gloomy mood disappeared when...

"... As promised, I have answered your question truthfully."

"W-Wait just a second there, Mihou-Chan!" Just as the blonde girl finished speaking, Johnie Gamble raised an objection. "There is a clear contradiction in your testimony...!" It seemed that the boy did not only love to make bets, he was also a big fan of videogames. While the name of the title escaped you at the time, you were sure it belonged to some popular lawyer videogame series born in Japan. "Clearly, you are lying! You were so busy thinking up names that you didn't notice a critical flaw in your argument." He was... Really pumped up about this. "My name... Is not on that list-!"

When Sawai Mihou had revealed the identities of the participants, you had only listened. Johnie Gamble had instead taken a piece of paper and written them down, because he knew that he couldn't possible remember more than half a dozen names in Japanese. That had been very smart of him, and you were sure that said list would be big help in the future... But right now, the American boy was just making a fool of himself.

After all, the reason why he was not on that list was obvious. It had been the reason why the swordsman had targeted him first...

"You are an irregular." Mihou explained. "You weren't supposed to be a part of this, Gamble. You just got caught in it... And I have no idea how you managed to pull it off, to be honest..."

"Oh I see, I s-wait." Noticing something was odd, Johnie stopped for a second to think. And then... "...Wasn't it because I had the potential to use these magical powers, but had not awakened yet?"

"No." The girl shook her head. "Some of the people on that list are little more than normal humans. In other words, there are participants who have yet to awaken their Magical Weapons. I suspect they will be taken out first..."

...

"So I am special among the special, huh? Heh-!" He adjusted his hat with confidence. "Here comes the mysterious #17 Magician! Johnie Gambleeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

"You have a remarkable... Spirit."

"Anyhow, it's getting late. We should really get out of here." Remembering the Mall was closed at this time, Johnie was forced to add: "... Somehow?"

"Here." With a little sigh, Mihou hands you a key and a folded sheet of paper. "You will need them."

Even Johnie was able to tell that the swordsman had just handed them the 'Milky Way Entrance Key'. The answer as to why she had it on her became apparent only a couple of seconds later.

"You're not coming Mihou-Chan?"

"No... I like it here."

She... Probably live there.

In any case, you figured it was time to go. You had to check on Akio and the others. If you needed to talk to Mihou, you knew where to find her.

This was not a goodbye, just a 'see you later.'

-------

Acquired Milky Way Entrance Key.
Acquired Johnie's note.

Content

Nakamura Shinji
Aomori Mana
Yamada Hayate
Katsurimi Haseno
Reynard Everheart
Kubo Naoya
Sawai Mihou
Sophie Kaede
Yoshiota Chisato
Fukami Mikoto
Shinzou Kamui
Hisamatsu Kanko
Lucille Fairiday
Hishikawa Nanako
Natsume Raku
Nakamura Akio

Acquired Mihou's Note.

Content

0. Fool
I. Líf
II. Poros
III. Masamune
IV. Raven
V. Cain
VI. Snow Queen
VII. Alice
VIII. Izanami
IX. Kyūbi
X. Ra
XI. Discordia
XII. Trismegistus
XIII. Nyarlathotep
XIV. Lucifer
XV. The Answerer