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"Vrrrmmm---!"
It was a sound as if the very air itself were trembling. The instant that the sound rang out, several slashes appeared.
They were completely invisible slashes. Yet their number was plain and clear, and it was because they violently carved into the ground, leaving behind seven deep gashes.
Those slashes that gouged the earth stirred up a terrifying turbulence, forming a violent storm that swept forward like razor-sharp scythes carried on a raging wind.
"BOOM--!"
At the same time, the device that had absorbed flames beyond its maximum capacity exploded, releasing the intense heat compressed to the size of a container all at once, erupting into a wave of fire.
If this explosion were left unchecked, the entire rooftop would likely be blown to pieces without a trace.
However, at the very moment the explosion ignited, the storm of slashes surged forth.
"Shhkkk---!"
With the sound of blades tearing through the air, the seven invisible cutting winds sliced through the erupting wave of fire all at once.
Then, the blaze was carried off by the howling storm, blowing far into the distance. Even after it left the rooftop, it showed no signs of stopping, blooming in midair like a massive firework of flames.
"BOOOOM---!"
The shockwave rippled across the sky.
On the rooftop, the entire group stood firm against the blast. All but Stiyl, who was already injured and was blown to the ground, remained rooted in place despite the impact.
That included the King of the Witch-Hunters.
That included Fang Li.
And naturally, it included the one responsible for this entire scene, Kanzaki Kaori.
Kanzaki Kaori held her longsword at her side, her eyes tightly closed.
She looked like a master swordswoman who had just executed an iaijutsu strike, sheathing her blade so quickly that the naked eye could not catch the motion.
"Oh?"
Fang Li finally lifted his gaze, fixing his eyes on Kanzaki. The faint, mocking smile on his face began to fade.
"So, in the end, you decided to make a move?"
His words snapped Stiyl out of his stunned state.
"Kanzaki…" Stiyl murmured in a low voice.
"Sorry, but in a situation like that, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing." Kanzaki met Stiyl's gaze head-on, no longer choosing to hold back. "That person is right. You cannot defeat him, Stiyl."
Stiyl was left speechless, and frustration filled his face. Though he didn't want to admit it, Stiyl had to concede that Fang Li was the stronger one.
Because his opponent was "just" an ordinary person, Stiyl had never imagined he would lose as a magician. The first time he'd been caught off guard, but this time, he was fully prepared, armed with 210,000 Rune cards meticulously placed in advance. There was no way he should have lost to a mere delinquent who only knew how to fight.
Yet reality had slapped him awake.
"Magic and science are the two great forces of this world. Purely in terms of strength, the Science Side is not weaker than the Magic Side."
Kanzaki's eyes fixed on Fang Li's body. Her words were aimed at Stiyl, yet they sounded as if she was reminding herself as well.
"We can wield a power called magic, but they can wield a power called science. Neither side is inherently stronger; the only difference is how effectively that power is applied. We underestimated him simply because he isn't an esper, and we forgot this truth. That is why you lost, Stiyl. Your defeat isn't unjust."
Though she spoke thus, Kanzaki's eyes betrayed no sign of compromise.
"However, even if you have an uncompromising reason. I will not back down, even if it means standing against the angels recorded in the Bible. It is my duty to protect her."
With that declaration, Kanzaki raised her sword. Her gaze shot toward Fang Li like a sharpened arrow.
"Since you know who I am, then you should understand exactly what it means to stand against a Saint."
"Step aside."
Her words carried a heavy weight.
Fang Li narrowed his eyes slightly. The gleam in them was completely different from when he had faced Stiyl earlier. He understood very well what it meant to go against a Saint.
In this world, there existed a theory known as the Idol Theory.
It was the foundational principle that allowed humans to harness and wield the power of God and angels.
According to this theory, if one created a replica of the cross described in the Bible, the very cross upon which the "Son of God" was crucified, then that replica would hold a fragment of the power of the original.
As such, even the most ordinary cross in this world contained some degree of mystical power, giving rise to legends of crosses driving away vampires and protecting believers.
Of course, a replica's power was less than one-trillionth of the true cross's power, and even the strongest replicas in legend possessed only a fraction of it.
Yet if a replica held even one percent of the true cross's power, it would rival the strength of the Twelve Apostles themselves.
This theory applies not only to sacred artifacts but also to humans.
Occasionally, a human would be born with a physique nearly identical in nature to the "Son of God," sharing the same divine traits. These rare individuals, through the Idol Theory, were able to naturally access and wield a portion of the Son of God's power, manifesting it as a Stigma.
There were fewer than twenty such individuals in the entire world.
But once these chosen ones released their Stigma, they could, for a limited time, access a portion of the divine power of Jesus Christ Himself.
Although restricted by their mortal bodies, unable to unleash that full power and suffering unimaginable strain as their bodies edged toward collapse, when that power was released, even angels could be resisted.
The Magic World called these rare individuals… Saints.
Kanzaki was one of fewer than twenty Saints in the entire world, ranked among the top ten magicians in London. Even without releasing her Stigma, Kanzaki's power was not something that could be ignored.
This was nothing like the playful skirmish Fang Li had just had. Against Kanzaki, Fang Li had no confidence in victory unless he went all out.
Which was why he knew, the true obstacle wasn't Stiyl. It was Kanzaki.
A being who could stand against angels.
A special existence who bore a Stigma.
At that thought, Fang Li's hand subtly brushed the faint, pure-white mark imprinted on the back of his hand.
The corners of his lips curled slightly.
"Interesting…"
A dagger shaped like a waning crescent moon fell into Fang Li's palm.
From that moment, the façade of an "ordinary powerless student of Academy City" completely vanished.
Standing here now was the wielder of Mystic Eyes, the one who had thrown the entire Magic World into chaos for an entire year.
His long-maintained cover was finally about to be shattered.
"Even if you have defeated Stiyl, I regret to say we will not obediently leave Academy City."
Kanzaki strode forward, past Stiyl, even past the King of the Witch-Hunters. Bathed in the glow of roaring flames, she seemed to radiate heat herself, gripping her longsword tightly as her unwavering gaze locked onto Fang Li.
"That child, we must save her. We cannot stand by and watch her die."
That was her only reason.
(End of Chapter)