*
To clarify, anyone could get stronger after defeating a Trace. One could visualise it as Lastia having 2x exp. No one else is collecting the magical energy, it doesn't flow back into the environment. It's wholly being absorbed by her.
A massive shadow looms down the street. Each step remained light, like a haze stood to cover every edge of its silhouette. Not a single sound escapes, as if her ears were plugged in a vacuum.
'I see... Those memories were an induced hallucination, thanks to the lack of oxygen.' (Yggdrasil)
The entire field is devoid of air for reasons unknown. The power of vibrations, sound. The primary medium is air, the effect is unrestrained movement. A short sword of jett black materialises, movement taken to the extreme has created a field where light and energy is constantly being absorbed. It's movement simulating a blackhole and its gravitational force.
Aster, {Anxiety} the ogre Trace that had evolved into a Remnant. It doesn't seem like she had breached into S grade, but A grade was still plenty dangerous. She definitely seemed stronger though.
"You seemed a bit different... But that's all it is. You're just a little different." (Aster)
"... Is that mockery? I'm not letting you escape so easily, we're both easily A grade." (Yggdrasil)
Defeating The Observer pushed her from E to C, and the Super Satellite, from C to A. Previously, to fight the Super Satellite Lastia had to cast her magic on herself to boost herself up from C to A. Now she was natively A the moment she transformed. Almost as if... Right, they're roughly equal now. True to her words, she would find any trouble keeping up.
Swiftly, she closed the distance and swung wide with her great sword. The air began to rumble and a clean split opened up in the buildings behind Aster, who had dodged in time. Once she was the Ogre type Trace that bore {Anxiety}, a vibration based magic ability that could enhance physical attacks and form a durable shield of air pressure. Aster jumped high, letting the great sword with an ominous glow tear the air horizontally underneath her. In the same instant she could discern the wreckage of numerous buildings behind her.
The air pressure from the sword alone was able to rip through the passive barrier over Aster's skin. If she had taken it head on even if she reinforced her defences with magic... She shuddered to think. The being in front of her had grown inexplicably strong after the defeat of the Super Satellite, almost as if the playing field was leveled. It somewhat matched the evolution that occurred when Aster killed more Traces and absorbed their essence, since she was a Trace herself it was essentially cannibalism.
She did it to survive, but it also caused her to grow fast at an astonishing rate, giving her almost complete dominance last time. Her close observation of that very battle when Lastia grew stronger also taught her some insights into battle, she had also gained a bit from Lastia's victory over the Super Satellite. Such as the peculiarities of {Feed}, the battle style of Lastia, and the general flow of battles that Lastia is involved in.
It's why she could expertly manuevre with confidence now, knowing what Lastia can and can't do. Her brute strength might be far higher now, but in terms of technique Aster was confident that she had the upper hand. She threw her sword lightly into the ground, due to its properties it slid into the concrete like a needle through sand. Before it could sink any further, the sole of her foot slammed into it to propel herself forward, her body accelerated faster than gravity and she shot like a missile.
To say the least, Aster no longer looked like an ogre. She merely seemed like a magical girl with brown hair and a brown cloak covering her youthful body, wrapped under medieval leather and chain armour. As if she came right out of an adventurer's guild in a low technological level fantasy world. However there was one standout feature that would never go away, a shiny black horn was perched atop her forehead, pointing towards the sun with an ever radiant soul. It's glossy sheen almost seemed metallic, effortlessly reflecting rainbow splintered light.
What the hell was she? An evolved form of a Trace, a Remnant. A force of nature incarnate, born from violated laws. An enemy of humanity. Undoubtedly, a supernatural being born of magical energy spurred by said laws. They were usually less intelligent, like animals acting on instinct. That's why, this being was so strange. She evolved, gave herself a name, and liked to target Lastia. She bore some grudge, likely from the very first defeat.
Something was definitely wrong, she's the one and only Trace she met that retreated upon recognising imminent defeat. No other Trace had such self preservatory instincts, they all battled to the death with Aster as the sole exception. This single occurrence of survival was an immense opportunity, the chance to learn and grow. An anomaly in and of itself.
Yet, it wasn't a heavenly king. Arin did not acknowledge it as such. Yggdrasil swung her great sword down, not to intercept but to kill. The blood thirsty move cleaved through the air with an ominous hum, determined to enter Aster's trajectory and segregate her in half. Aster materialises another vacuum blade, releasing the previous blade that she used as a foothold back into magical energy. The two blades collide just in time, before Aster had the chance to be halved.
Using the collision as a pivot to balance on, she swung her leg around her right side, throwing a kick at Yggdrasil with her entire body weight. Her foot smashed into Yggdrasil's shoulder, unable to react in time, blowing her body backwards. Yggdrasil lifted her left foot and landed it in a different position, recovering her centre of gravity before grabbing the outstretched leg with both arms. Turning her waist, she threw Aster into the nearest building.
Aster crashed, accompanied by the rumbling of the building's fallen debris and the crumbling wall her body embedded into. She kicked her at the building to get unstuck, carving a bigger hole in the wall before forming another vacuum blade. A new great sword formed in Yggdrasil's firm palm as she kept her gaze on her enemy.
Both enter their battle stance, ready to rush and swing once more.