Chapter 76: The Magic Called Miracle
"Scorpio, one of the Zodiac, has arrived. You should still have an Initiator with you, right? Take her and escape from here quickly. The Tokyo Area is… beyond saving."
A calm and steady voice came from the phone, and at the end, a clear sigh of resignation could be heard.
One could imagine how much courage the Saitenshi had to muster and how desperate she must have been when making this call to him.
Perhaps the Saitenshi was now pale, biting her lower lip unwillingly, her hands in white silk gloves clenched tightly into fists, her delicate body trembling slightly as she watched the images on the screen?
However, as soon as her voice fell.
The battle in Tokyo Bay had already begun in the distance; even from such a remote distance, the continuous roar of artillery fire could be clearly heard.
Missiles, gas bombs, torpedoes, bunker busters…
Almost all available weapons were fired simultaneously at this moment, but not to mention causing damage, they couldn't even delay its advance.
Even if a bunker buster managed to break through its hard protective outer shell, causing negligible damage, it would immediately recover as if nothing had happened.
And in the pre-dawn darkness, a massive beast vaguely appeared on the surface of the sea, slowly moving towards Tokyo Bay.
That was the Stage Five Scorpio, its body like a countless-times-enlarged mutated flea.
No one knew how many genetic factors of various creatures its body had absorbed to finally transform into this appearance.
Its colossal body, like a towering mountain, was covered in cracked dark brown skin, resembling smallpox, with large and small bumps, and on these bumps, protruding reddish eyes grew.
Numerous tentacles, like snake heads that could split and close, burst through the skin from its neck, head, eyes, and other parts.
The number of tentacles was so vast that it was difficult to count them as they flailed wildly.
The head of this Stage Five Scorpio was small, and its mouth was recessed, seemingly without teeth.
Its entire body also had many alternating flashing light bands.
And its towering, massive body was even 100 meters taller than Planet Godzilla, a terrifying 400-meter giant!
Just standing there, it was enough to be a synonym for terror.
A glance from afar was enough to clearly feel the fear from biological instinct.
The Scorpio on the sea surface, while parting the seawater as it advanced, impatiently waved away the missiles that flew through the night sky.
The explosive flames from the missiles evaporated the surrounding seawater, yet it showed no obvious damage.
Even if a tentacle was unfortunately blown off, it would quickly regenerate, completely unafraid of the continuous artillery damage from the fleet.
"Mahiro-kun, you must have seen Scorpio, right? That is an existence that cannot be resisted by human power, so please escape quickly, while there is still time."
The Saitenshi urged again on the phone.
"What about you?"
"I… I will stay in the Tokyo Area. I am the head of the Tokyo Area, and I have the responsibility and obligation to accompany the citizens who support me to the very end."
"You're as stubborn as ever, Saitenshi. But I just like your earnestness."
"This is no time for jokes…"
"I'm not joking." Mahiro interrupted, "I do like you very much, and I won't run away, because there are many existences worth protecting in the Tokyo Area, like those children, President Kisara, and you, Saitenshi."
"…Mahiro-kun, thank you for saying that, but facing Scorpio, we are already powerless."
"That shouldn't be the case, should it? What about the Sky Ladder?"
What he referred to was a relic from the final stages of the Gastrea War.
Although completed, it was ultimately abandoned along with its position without even a single test run, witnessing the day of defeat against the Gastrea—the super-giant weapon commonly known as the "Sky Ladder."
Two parallel tracks, 1,500 meters long, extended into the thin clouds at an elevation of seventy degrees, their tops often obscured by fog.
It was the pinnacle of human killing weapons in this world, also known as the "Linear Superconducting Electromagnetic Projectile Device," a railgun module capable of accelerating metal missiles with a diameter of less than 800 millimeters to near-light speed.
However, the Saitenshi's regretful voice came from the phone.
"It's useless, the Sky Ladder has been destroyed by the Five Wings Association."
"Is that so? That's truly a pity."
Although there was no hint of regret in his tone, but rather some relief?
Then, he asked again:
"Then, Saitenshi, do you believe in miracles?"
Miracles?
The Saitenshi hadn't heard that word in so long. She remembered the last time was probably when she was a child, about ten years ago, right?
During the Second Kanto Battle, everyone celebrated the appearance of a miracle, erecting tall monoliths, stating that the magnetic field emitted by the varanium could weaken the Gastrea's vitality and repel them.
They successfully confined themselves to the last remaining land behind these monoliths.
"Kisara, what do you think, if a miracle were to appear this time, what form would it take?"
In the chaotic command center, the Saitenshi tightly clutched her phone, asking the person beside her.
The uninvited girl, who had exposed part of the conspiracy behind the missing Seven Stars' legacy, now stood before the screen, watching the footage with the Saitenshi, and shook her head, saying:
"I don't know either, but—Saitenshi, the person who can create a miracle will definitely be Mahiru-kun."
Tendo Kisara was so certain.
-------------------------------------
Meanwhile, at the harbor dock across from Tokyo Bay.
The salty sea breeze blew from afar, stirring her light golden short hair.
"Is Mahiro-kun preparing to run away?" she asked in her usual calm tone.
"Why would you think that?" Mahiro countered.
"Because that's the optimal strategy right now. A Stage Five Gastrea is not something we can contend with, but it's a pity, I won't be able to see my friends from Arcadia."
"Don't worry, you will."
Mahiro comforted her.
She subconsciously glanced at the slowly moving giant beast on the distant horizon, then looked at the girl in front of her.
Just recently, Chisato Fuse had already accepted his invitation to join Arcadia and help him establish a utopia for the Cursed Children…
"Mahiro-kun? Why are you staring blankly at my chest at this moment? Even if I've agreed to be your tool, you can't let your beastly nature run wild now. Scorpio is already close, and I'm only ten years old, I can't do that kind of thing. Please, you must endure."
As Mahiro was thinking about strategy while looking at Chisato Fuse, he unconsciously lowered his head in thought, causing his gaze to fall upon the girl's chest.
As if to break the tense atmosphere, the girl said such words in her calm tone, which made his mouth twitch.
"…Um, Miss Sasha? When was I staring at your chest?"
"From just now until now."
The girl stated a fact expressionlessly.
"I was just thinking."
"I understand. Many animals, when their lifespan is nearing its end, or when they are about to die, awaken the instinct to maintain the continuation of their species, which means wanting to procreate. This is an instinct and not shameful. However, if the object is me, then it's wrong. I'm too young to conceive life, and even if we mated, it would be meaningless, at most it would only satisfy sexual urges."
"…Your mouth is truly poisonous."
This girl could actually say such strange things with a straight face.
"I'm merely stating facts."
"Alright… Then, Miss Sasha, do you have a chest?"
"...I will. Please look forward to it."
The plain-faced girl showed no embarrassment, simply propping the greatsword in front of her chest.
"I won't be looking forward to such a thing, and besides…"
Mid-sentence, Mahiro suddenly paused, placing his hand on her small head and rubbing it vigorously.
"I understand you're saying this to help me relax and think, but as a girl, it's better not to say such things."
"In times of life and death, aren't dirty jokes the best way to relieve a man's tension?"
Although she appeared aloof, the highly intelligent Chisato Fuse occasionally enjoyed pranks or small jokes, so even at this moment, she could seriously retort.
The most crucial thing was that Mahiro didn't know how to respond.
"Forget it…"
He gave up.
"Now, you stay here. Zhenxun Da gege will show you a magic called miracle, how about that?"
"?"
Sasha didn't understand his words.
But there was no need to understand, and no way to ask.
Because at this moment, Mahiro was already standing at the very edge of the pier, taking out that strangely shaped handgun again, and around him, lights like fireflies—no, like starlight—were swirling.
"...So beautiful."
This was the most beautiful scene Chisato Fuse had ever seen in her life, and of course, the person surrounded by starlight was also very handsome.
But immediately after, she saw the muzzle of Mahiro's handgun suddenly change.
It was like a scene from a sci-fi work where a weapon is reconfigured, transforming from a handgun into a sniper rifle, but the barrel appeared in a translucent form.
"Tsk, if Tatsuya hadn't installed an auxiliary aiming device on my CAD, it would probably be quite difficult to cast a general-purpose magic spell at this distance."
Mahiro muttered softly, then closed his eyes.
"Multiple Observation"—Deploy!
"Consciousness Domain"—Deploy!
"Elf Eyes"—Activate!
A domain constructed by Multiple Observation, projecting consciousness within the domain, then observing with Elf Eyes.
Finally—
"Trace Information Dimension"—Begin!
However, the next second, his brows furrowed tightly, and his forehead was covered in sweat.
Unable to trace, unable to analyze.
To be precise, he could glimpse it with his Copy Magic Eye, but the human brain simply couldn't analyze it.
Because the genetic composition of Scorpio was too complex, tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of genetic traits were mixed together, and even more absurdly, the elemental composition of Scorpio nearly covered half of the periodic table!!!
This didn't even count the isotopes within.
How could such an anti-conventional creature exist?
He never expected to be defeated by his own hardware one day.
"Since that's the case, then I'll change my method...."
Strategic-level magic—"Abyss"—Activate!
A powerful magical force instantly erupted from Yotsuba Mahiro's body, almost turning him into light.
Immediately after, the sea surface began to shake, as if a magnitude seven or eight earthquake had struck!
Under everyone's gaze, Scorpio actually began to sink beneath the sea surface!
A hemispherical pit with a diameter of three thousand meters formed around it, devouring Scorpio.
And those waving tentacles, which could easily stir up huge waves with a casual flick, couldn't even create a ripple when they struck the water wall.
Immediately after, a bone-chilling cold spread across the sea surface.
From a distance, it looked like a thin mist brought by a ghost ship sailing on the sea, but wherever the mist reached, it froze everything.
Even the churning seawater would turn into glacial land.
And through the drone, the command center saw the truth in the transmitted images.
"It's actually... one person?"
"How did he do it? Is this also a mechanical soldier from the New Human Creation Project?"
"If he can achieve this level, it's simply too exaggerated...."
....
The ministers who were originally in a panic and preparing to flee were all silent now, staring intently at the figure on the screen.
And Saitenshi and Kisara had already recognized the figure walking on the glacier and releasing the ice mist.
It was definitely Yotsuba Mahiro!
"So, this is the miracle he spoke of?"
If this is the case, perhaps he can truly defeat Stage Five Scorpio!
At the very least, Saitenshi prayed for it in her heart.
Even Kikunojo Tendo, the most composed among everyone, was silent at this moment, his gaze solemn as he looked at the figure on the screen.
However, regardless of whether these people harbored doubts, curiosity, or astonishment.
One thought would not change, and that was—
We / the Tokyo area, are saved.
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Frost was spreading.
In just a short moment, it had frozen the entire Tokyo Bay, along with the colossal Scorpio!
However, while this level of "Ice Mist Divine Realm" had a wide range, it had not reached absolute zero. Even though it could freeze the seawater into an unbreakable glacier, it couldn't freeze a Stage Five Gastrea.
But being able to temporarily bind it was already enough.
Yotsuba Mahiro activated flight magic, leaped up, and stepped onto Scorpio's head, pulling out the syringe made of super-holmium alloy.
While using "Molecular Severing" to break through Scorpio's hard shell, he plunged the syringe down fiercely.
The fluorescent-like blood quickly filled the syringe, and the writhing flesh healed rapidly at an incomprehensible speed, resonating with the blood inside the syringe, as if trying to swallow his syringe whole.
However, although Stage Five was immune to the magnetic field emitted by the super-holmium alloy, a single tube of blood could be easily suppressed.
"My goal has been achieved, so now it's time to say goodbye, little sister. I'm sorry, I couldn't save you."
Yotsuba Mahiro put away the syringe, squatted down, and gently stroked Scorpio's head, muttering softly.
That's right, he had already traced the true identity of Scorpio; it was actually the younger sister of a pair of twin sisters, who became Scorpio after experiencing the experiment at Seven Star Village.
And her older sister also transformed into a Stage Five Gastrea, specifically Libra, also known as the Plague King!
Although it sounded absurd, this was the reality of this world, the cruelest and most tragic reality.
At the same time, Mahiro had already pressed the muzzle of his CAD against Scorpio's skin, and the surging Psion light reappeared.
""Cocytus"—Activate."
Scorpio, which was about to break out of the ice, instantly stopped struggling, as if frozen again.
But that was not the case.
Cocytus, a type of mental interference magic, was the magic that once earned Yotsuba Shinya the title of [Styx Dominator].
Unlike Ice Mist Divine Realm, which freezes the body and rewrites information, Cocytus is a magic that freezes the mind; the body will stop and stiffen with the "stillness" of the mind.
The interaction between mind and body can also lead to partial crystallization of the body.
A frozen mind will not awaken again, nor can a frozen mind perceive death or command the body to die.
For such large Gastrea, it could be said to be a magic of natural counter-level.
But this alone was not enough; at the very least, Scorpio's body needed to be erased.
So, he flew high into the sky, hovering three thousand meters up.
"Strategic-level magic—"Glaciation"—Activate!"
The magic "Glaciation" maximized the Ice Mist Divine Realm.
If the Ice Mist Divine Realm, composed of liquid nitrogen, could reach minus 210 degrees Celsius, then Glaciation could reach the thermodynamic lowest point—minus 273.15 degrees Celsius.
Within this one-kilometer radius, all molecules would cease movement, infinitely approaching a state of stillness.
This was also an extreme magic he adapted from Miyuki's Good at magic through his brain's computational domain, no less powerful than large-scale destructive magic like Quality Burst and Heavy Metal Burst.
"And then the final step—"Fourth Phase Change"—Activate!"
While people were still marveling at why Tokyo Bay and Scorpio were frozen, and while the command center was still discussing how to deal with Scorpio's corpse—
A piercing alarm suddenly sounded.
It was a strong radiation alarm.
On the screen, a scorching ball of light suddenly appeared above Scorpio's head.
The light it emitted was like the sun, dispelling the darkness of the Tokyo area, and this light ball seemed to be gradually expanding!
When it expanded to its limit, strong electromagnetic radiation destroyed the drones hovering in mid-air.
And under the engulfment of the light ball, Scorpio was actually dissipating little by little.
"Fourth Phase Change" was not some profound magic; it simply converted matter into a plasma state.
In this extreme cold, the ultra-high heat emitted by the plasma ball was enough to destroy all matter.
No matter how strong the regenerative ability of Stage Five was, it was still within the realm of biology; it could not recover under this massive thermal expansion and contraction. Both the body and cells would be completely destroyed.
Returning to nothingness.
The first light of dawn bloomed from the horizon of the sea, and Chisato Fuse, standing on the harbor pier, watched Scorpio gradually vanish under the sun-like radiance, and couldn't help but murmur:
"....Is this the miracle you spoke of? It's indeed a very beautiful miracle... just like you."
PS: Recommending a book
"Box Garden Lunatic, Blasting Millions of Gods!"