A mountain need not be high—with immortals, it gains fame; waters need not be deep—with dragons, they gain spirit!
A villa in the outskirts of Rome could be called the center of the world—not because of its vast grounds or luxurious furnishings, but simply because of the one who resided within:
Roy Crowley, the Demon King who annihilated the Last King, the strongest Campione across all ages, the existence that shattered the world's fate.
Now, Roy was truly the world's sovereign. Wherever he dwelled naturally stirred greater waves across the globe than any prime minister's residence.
Erica remained busy resolving issues among various magical associations. Liliana continued meticulously tending to Roy's daily life. After recovering from his injuries, Salvatore resumed his wanderings across the world, seeking battles with Heretic Gods. Luo Hao returned to her century-long seclusion by the Lushan Waterfall, for she had always been one who cherished tranquility away from worldly affairs.
Annie Charlton still guarded her America, while Aisha, after recovering her magical power, unfortunately experienced another runaway Authority and now found herself lost in some unknown era—one could only hope she didn't encounter the remnants of Human Order Incineration.
Alice continued her life as the Princess of the Golden Dawn, occasionally visiting Rome to meet Roy and share their heartfelt sentiments.
Pandora lived freely in the Netherworld, the life she had always desired.
Aphrodite still quarreled daily with Athena, while Asherah rested quietly in her massive aquarium. On the surface, life remained unchanged from before the battle with the Last King—yet Roy knew change had indeed come, for he himself had changed.
With the Last King as his great adversary, Roy had focused solely on defeating him. But now that this foe had fallen, Roy found himself facing even more vexing concerns.
"Human life is fleeting. Even Campiones have their limits of mortality. While obtaining 'immortality' might not be difficult for a Campione, for magicians like Erica and Liliana, they have but a mere century of life."
"...Though I've only spent three or four years with them, I cannot bear to see the day of parting through life and death arrive."
Roy stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of his chamber, gazing at the lush forest beyond. Looking down upon the earth from his lofty position, his tone carried a hint of melancholy.
"You wish to extend their lifespans?"
Aiwass hovered behind Roy, her bare toes lightly brushing the ground as her entire body shimmered with iridescent light, her jade-like skin glowing faintly.
"A magus... or rather, a mage has many means to prolong life, especially those who study the human body. I too possess such rituals, and I could teach them to you if you're willing."
Aiwass spoke in a light, indifferent tone.
Perhaps because Roy's knowledge had grown increasingly vast, the instances where Aiwass's words had once sounded like mere noise to him were becoming rare. This very fact signified that Roy's understanding had reached a level where he could comprehend Aiwass's speech.
"But that holds no meaning, Aiwass! Even if they were granted longevity, what of it? They would still only be a great knight, a magician at best. Even if they were to become Campiones, what then? Though Campiones may stand at the pinnacle of this world, in the face of the infinite cosmos, they are but a drop in the ocean."
"...I'm beginning to understand the loneliness of the Magic Gods. Standing at the true summit of the world, they find only the cold isolation of the heights—so much so that they might even consider themselves frogs at the bottom of a well. Aware that worlds beyond worlds exist, yet unable to reach them no matter how they try."
Roy sighed softly, his tone tinged with melancholy.
Aiwass's heart stirred as she grasped the underlying meaning in Roy's words. Her eyes brightened as she said, "...From what you're saying, it sounds like you've considered taking them away from this world?"
"Yes, I did entertain the thought initially. But then I reconsidered—their talents have already reached their limits. Becoming a great knight is the peak of their potential. Even if I were to force their growth and make them Campiones, they wouldn't progress much further in the future."
"...Meanwhile, I will continue striding forward, widening the gap between us. Moreover, if I were to take them to other worlds, they would only become burdens. Should I ever face an enemy even I struggle against, wouldn't they be placed in mortal danger? It's better to leave them in this world—at least here, they'll be safer, more secure."
If they were to return to the world of A Certain Magical Index, not only would someone like Erica—or even Luo Hao—stand no chance, but even Roy would be nearly powerless against those transcendent beings. Knowing their limited talents and capped strength, dragging them into such peril would be far from ideal.
Aiwass had no interest in the safety of others; what intrigued her was the implication in Roy's words. "...Are you saying you can bring others across the Sea of Worlds?"
"Knowing that my right hand harbors such immense power, it would be remiss of me not to study it."
Roy raised his right hand with a smile. "...The more I've studied this hand and the 'ship' within it, the more promising discoveries I've made."
"Do tell!"
Aiwass replied with keen interest.
After all, this 'ship' did not belong to her. Despite her many conjectures, she had no means to investigate it herself. Hearing that Roy had gained new insights into this mysterious vessel, she listened intently.
"First, the time ratio between worlds is completely different. By borrowing the power of this mysterious 'ship,' although I can't annihilate the universe in a single thought, I can barely manage to slow down the time ratio. This way, even if I leave the world of Campione, time in that world will pass relatively slower, giving me more time to prepare."
"Second, I do have the ability to take others away from a world, but there is one limitation—only one person can be taken from each world!"
Roy's words made Aiwass ponder for a moment before he sighed, "...I thought you truly possessed the ability to take others away from this world. If that were the case, you could return to the so-called 'Toaru' world you mentioned."
"Hah, you think I haven't considered that, Aiwass! If I could freely take others away from this world at will, what would I have to fear? I'd go back to Toaru right now, find those Magic Gods, sit down with them, and negotiate—take them to other worlds, freeing them from the constraints of the World's Veil. It'd be like traveling everywhere with a group of Magic God bodyguards!"
Roy laughed self-deprecatingly. The mere thought of such a scenario was enticing. The knowledge possessed by the Magic Gods would likely be far more vast and profound than Aiwass's. At most, they were just bad at teaching. With a group of Magic Gods as bodyguards, what would Roy have to fear? Roaming around with them, learning from them every day—it'd be effortless growth. In anime terms, it'd be like turning a battle shounen into a slice-of-life comedy.
"But right now, you can only take one person—only 'one chance.' You can only save one Magic God. That just puts you in greater danger. I'd advise even more strongly against returning now."
Aiwass frowned slightly as he spoke.
"Exactly. If I told them I could only 'save one Magic God,' they wouldn't start killing each other to decide who gets to be the 'one and only' to be saved. They'd just think, 'Rather than fighting each other, why not kill Roy and take his ship? Maybe the reason he can't save all of us is because he's too weak. If we Magic Gods get our hands on this ship, we could probably figure out more uses for it.' Compared to defeating all the other Magic Gods to become the 'chosen one,' killing me would be much simpler!"
Being the target of everyone's hostility was far from pleasant. Roy had no desire to face the collective pursuit of all the Magic Gods.
"Except the Magic Gods would never guess—their one chance is already gone. Because I've already taken it for myself."
Aiwass suddenly spoke with a hint of smugness.
"You're wrong, Aiwass!"
Roy looked at her with pity in his eyes.
"???"
Aiwass was utterly confused.
"Haven't you realized it yet? You never obtained that singular opportunity. The 'you' standing before me now isn't even a spiritual entity, nor a doppelgänger—at most, you're just a fragment of consciousness. Your true body remains trapped in the world of Toaru. You never truly left that world!"
"!!!!"
Aiwass shuddered in shock. Upon reflection, she realized it was true—her true form was still in Toaru. If the Aiwass beside Aleister was her real body, then the one with Roy was merely a consciousness!
....
The reason she could hitch a ride with Roy across worlds was solely because he permitted it. In truth, if Roy willed it, he could expel her consciousness at any moment.
If Aiwass were truly expelled, this consciousness—severed from its original body and stranded in another world—would vanish instantly. Even the Aiwass in Toaru would retain no memory of these events, forgetting everything about Roy and that mysterious 'ship'!
Roy had only brought her along out of trust.
She suddenly tensed and asked, "...You wouldn't actually expel me, would you?"
"Of course not. You've helped me so much, and we've come to trust each other. Why would I cast you out? Relax."
Roy chuckled reassuringly.
Aiwass exhaled in relief, then frowned again, posing another question. "...Will you give that opportunity to me?"
"Let's not discuss that yet. It's still a long way before I return to Toaru—at the very least, I need enough strength to protect myself... But I've come to realize something: I seem fated to take one person with me from each world. I don't know why, but I just feel it."
Roy rubbed his temples, visibly troubled.
Noticing his evasion, Aiwass subtly pursed her lips. His topic shift was painfully forced—the subtext was clear: I don't know if I'll give it to you.
After all my careful guidance, after sharing my knowledge with you, this is how you repay me? You heartless brat! Or perhaps you've taken a fancy to some other Magic God and plan to whisk them away instead!
Aiwass fumed, surprised by her own thoughts. This wasn't how the Aiwass of old would have reacted. Perhaps prolonged time in the human world had made her thought processes more... human.
Not that it was a bad thing. She wasn't cultivating immortality, after all—no need to detach from mortal sentiments. If anything, thinking like a human helped her integrate into the material world, allowing her to observe everything with even greater objectivity.
"Then take me with you!"
Athena suddenly pushed the door open, standing at the threshold. Her amber eyes, deep as the night, fixed on Aiwass behind Roy.
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