“Y-Yes! I did it! Leader, I defeated my elder sister!”

Watching Sorciera engulfed in the explosion, Eina let out a joyous cry.
The chase that began after activating the Star Piercer had finally, and seemingly abruptly, come to an end.

Or so they thought.

“…No, it’s not over yet.”
“Huh?”

Unlike the jubilant Eina, Rokuhara stared grimly at the site of the explosion.
His eyes held no trace of triumph.

(My gut’s telling me—everything so far was just the opening act.)

“Stay sharp, Eina. The real battle starts now.”
“Wha—what are you saying? Tha—ah.”

Eina, with her keen perception, noticed it even before fully processing Rokuhara’s words.
The magic energy that had once vanished reappeared, stronger than ever.

“She’s back… No, wait. Her magic energy is intensifying!?”

A creaking sound echoed through the air.

The winds coursing between buildings twisted unnaturally into a vortex, drawn toward the dense magic energy.
The gusts carried black smoke, which coiled like a living creature before sweeping outward, as though protecting its master.

When the smoke cleared, a single girl stood at the epicenter of the explosion.

No, could one truly still call her a “girl”?

Her appearance remained unchanged, yet one thing had shifted unmistakably: her eyes.

Eyes that once retained a sliver of human warmth now gleamed coldly, devoid of emotion, like polished glass.

“…Hah. What’s this feeling?”

A visceral, skin-prickling sense of danger engulfed Rokuhara.
Even someone who had survived countless life-or-death encounters had never felt anything like this before.

(Am I… scared? Fine by me.)

Rokuhara drew his bow and fired without hesitation.

His instincts screamed that this fleeting moment offered their only chance of victory.

A swift, unerring shot, charged with a remarkable amount of magic energy for something prepared on the fly, hurtled toward Sorciera.

Yet Sorciera didn’t even bother to conjure a magic circle. She merely raised her hand.

“Foolish.”

The arrow halted mid-air, as if frozen in time.
It then crumbled from the tip, disintegrating into grains of sand.

“Her interference ability…”

A voice laced with despair reached their ears.
Eina, familiar with Sorciera’s powers, grasped the truth immediately.

“――”

Sorciera exhaled lightly, and a massive magic circle unfurled at her feet.

It differed from the bluish-purple circles she had used before.
Deep violet lines, intricate and countless, swallowed the blue hue entirely.
The circle ticked rhythmically, like the measured gears of a clock, as it activated.

Soon, Sorciera began to chant, her voice weaving through the air like a hymn.

“Let starlight awaken here.”

At her words, the magic circle flared with an intense purple light.
Smaller magic circles formed around her, each moving toward her limbs.

“What… is this?”

Before Rokuhara’s eyes, Sorciera’s form began to change.
Her monochromatic attire, resembling that of a doll, morphed into something far more imposing and terrifying.

“Phase Two, transition complete.”

She now embodied the night itself.
Her jet-black dress shimmered faintly with silver embroidery, resembling distant starlight.
The blue pendant at her chest seemed to be the last remnant of her humanity.

An ethereal, ominous beauty emanated from her transformed figure.
As Rokuhara looked at her, the image of a grim reaper crossed his mind.

(Eina said this thing would destroy her… So its true nature is an executioner…!)

If it brought death, if it governed death—then the black dress was undoubtedly hers alone.

A final touch: a magic circle appeared above her head, conjuring a black hair ornament and veil that crowned her with an executioner’s mantle.

“…Heh.”

In the howling winds, Sorciera slowly raised her index finger toward Rokuhara.
She wore a clumsy, unsettling smile, like a doll attempting human expression.

“You amuse me. For that, I’ll get a little serious.”
“Well, thanks for the compliment, I guess.”
“Leader, we need to run! This is impossible! We only had a chance before because my sister wasn’t fully awakened yet—or so she made us believe! This is bad! Really bad!”

Ignoring Eina’s panicked screams, Rokuhara nocked another arrow and fired.
But all the arrows crumbled to dust before they could reach Sorciera.

Even so, Rokuhara laughed at the terrifying sight, as if the arrows themselves had “died.”

“No wonder the council wants her. With this, they could go toe-to-toe with any calamity.”
“…Leader, you’re not planning to fight her, are you? No, this has to be a joke. This is where we beg for our lives, right? Right!?”

Eina’s trembling hands barely steadied the large bow she held.

Yet Sorciera, watching this, simply said, “This is my encore. Won’t you entertain me further?”
“She said it herself. What kind of man would I be if I backed down now? Let’s keep this going!”
“Leader!?”

Rokuhara dashed forward.
With the speed of an S-Rank, he reached his maximum velocity in a single step.

At such speed, even the thought of tracking him with one’s eyes was a luxury.
Closing the distance to Sorciera, he snapped his massive bow in two at close range.

“You broke the Star Piercer again!”
“It works better for me this way!”

The broken bow transformed into twin blades.
The red magic energy once imbued in the arrows now coated the blades, granting them the same unerring accuracy.

Two crimson blades slashed toward Sorciera, faster and sharper than any arrow.
Yet Sorciera didn’t even glance at them as she blocked with her scythe.

Standing perfectly still, she deflected the strike, creating a shockwave that devastated the area.
The asphalt cracked, nearby building walls crumbled, and debris swirled in the resulting tempest.
The clash of two S-Ranks wreaked havoc on the Central District.

Even so, the veiled figure at the center of the storm merely smiled faintly, unmoving.

“Not bad.”
“Then at least pretend it hurt a little, will ya!?”

Rokuhara darted behind Sorciera.
The first strike was merely a setup for the next.

(She’s not predicting attacks or preemptively defending. She reacts based on what she sees. In that case, her blind spots should be her weakness.)

Her flaw lay in her overwhelming strength, making it unnecessary for her to predict her opponent’s actions.

Without her survival instincts triggering, she couldn’t anticipate Rokuhara’s movements. Indeed, Rokuhara successfully got behind Sorciera with ease.

“Slash you to bits!”

A blade thrust toward her exposed back. Despite being infused with immense magic power from Demonsgear, the strike was blocked by an impenetrable barrier.

However, Rokuhara didn’t hesitate and poured more magic into the attack.

“I’m breaking through! Eina, give me more power!”
“Y-yes!”

From Rokuhara’s body, a red aura of magic surged forth. A devastatingly powerful blow, one that even a high-ranking explorer couldn’t withstand, began to push against the barrier.

“Uraaaaahhh!”

The barrier cracked. The clash lasted less than a second.

With a sharp, glass-like sound, the barrier shattered. Rokuhara drove his blade straight toward Sorciera.

A distinct sensation of piercing flesh.

“Gotcha.”

The awaited feeling twisted his lips into a triumphant grin. But the next moment, Eina’s voice screamed in his mind.

“This—this is fake!”
“What!?”

With a faint pop, Sorciera’s form exploded. Purple, magic-infused feathers scattered everywhere.

Irritated, Rokuhara grabbed one of the feathers as it floated down.

A bird feather, intricately detailed.

“When did she…? You’re amusing me now!”
“I’ll begin scanning right away!”
“Not necessary.”

Still holding the feather, Rokuhara spoke.

“Huh?”
“She’s in the sky.”

From the feather’s edge, blue-violet particles ascended into the air. Not just the feather—the scattered asphalt, rubble, and shards of glass around them all dissolved into magical energy and rose skyward.

Rokuhara looked up and laughed.

“You love looking down on people, huh?”

Ahead of his gaze was an enormous magic circle, large enough to cover the entire central district. It was so vast and awe-inspiring that it could be mistaken for this world’s new night sky.

He recognized it from pre-recorded footage—it was the activation array for a convergence bombardment.

“No one can touch the stars. All you’re allowed is to reach for them and yearn.”
“Leader, we need to run. That thing is impossible to survive!”
“Shut up.”

Ignoring Eina’s warning, Rokuhara transformed his twin blades back into a massive bow. A fierce grin spread across his face as he aimed toward the heavens.

“Then I’ll drag you down! Eina, get ready to fire that thing!”
“E-eep!?”
“If we win this, I’ll let you pick whatever ramen toppings you want for a week!”
“Really!? You promise!?”

A red magic circle spread from under Rokuhara’s feet, expanding like molten lava and encroaching further into the zone.

It was then that a transmission came through Rokuhara’s Dive Gear—a high-priority, classified line meant for S-Rank emergencies.

“Huh? What now, at a time like this? Patch it through.”

Moments later, a window appeared beside Rokuhara’s face. A plain-looking girl was displayed on the screen.

With one glance, Rokuhara opened his mouth, bow still drawn.

“What do you want? Uh…what’s your name again?”
“It’s Ryuko! Watarai Ryuko! Did you seriously forget me? Anyway, there’s an urgent message from the board. We’re heading your way. Oh, and we’ve already picked up Kirika, so we’ll be there at full speed!”
“You’re coming here?”
“Leader, if it’s three S-Ranks working together, we can totally handle this! Yes, ramen with eggs, bamboo shoots, and chashu pork!”
“Eina, shut up and keep calculating!”

Rokuhara silenced Eina and glanced at Ryuko on the screen. Judging from the scattered clouds behind her, she was traveling at an extraordinary speed.

“How long until you get here?”
“Three minutes, tops.”
“Got it.”

Rokuhara nodded once and then spoke.

“Don’t come, idiot.”
“…Huh?”

The dumbfounded voices of both Ryuko and Eina rose simultaneously. Still expanding the magic circle, Rokuhara continued, “Didn’t hear me? I said don’t come. This one’s mine. No way I’m letting anyone steal it.”
“Are you serious? The central district of Kiso Academy is in ruins, isn’t it? We need to work together here! I don’t even care about the Starwood or whatever!”
“Rejected. And I’ve already activated the Star Piercer magic formula. You know what that means if you’re S-Rank.”

Ryuko’s face paled instantly.

“Wait—Stop! Baltious, stop! Cease fire!”

From off-screen, a tremendous roar echoed. Rokuhara scowled in irritation.

“Your lizard’s loud. I’m cutting the line. Tell the board this: anyone entering the central district is in range. Take my advice and retreat to your academies.”
“Wait, what—?”

Rokuhara ended the call after saying what he wanted.

“Sorry, did I keep you waiting?”
“Not at all, it’s fine. I wouldn’t attack you in the middle of a conversation with your friend.”
“I see. Not that he’s exactly a friend… Well then, just wait a little longer, will you?”

The magic circles on both sides intensified their glow.
The world, covered by a massive red magic circle on the ground and a purple one in the sky, resembled a scene of ultimate destruction.

“Calculations are complete…”

Eina announced in a disappointed tone, clearly let down by her rejection for backup.

“How many are there?”
“There are 160,349 people in the central district…”
“I see. Then, begin.”
“Understood…”

The red magic circle grew brighter.
Gradually, the surroundings began to grow more chaotic.

Students observing the battle between Sorciera and Rokuhara, as well as those who had evacuated, began screaming as if seized by madness.
Black smoke rose here and there, and the shrill sound of sirens echoed.

All of it was the result of one girl’s actions—Eina.

“You know, don’t you? About Eina’s real ability.”
“…The unique ability to absorb the emotions of people within a designated range and convert them into magic power, right?”
“As expected from someone in the same field. To add, those whose emotions are drained go temporarily insane. Sacrificing others, she generates a supreme energy. And all of that, I’ll direct straight at you.”
“Emotion Conversion… Beginning the process,” Eina reported.

Multiple red magic circles formed in front of Rokuhara’s large bow, aiming toward Sorciera.
The magic circles slowly started rotating.

Sorciara, seeing this, smiled faintly.
From the magic circle floating in the sky, she extended a translucent tube, connected it to a massive scythe, and aimed its barrel at Rokuhara.

“I’ll show you the brilliance of the stars.”
“Ha! I don’t need it.”

The magic circles in front of both combatants spun faster and faster.

The overwhelming forces of the two combatants rendered the area inhospitable to any living being.
In this high-density magic space, inaccessible to anyone, they released their attacks simultaneously.

“――ッ!”

Red and silver light collided.
The ground shook violently with the resounding clash.

“Eina! Hold firm!”
“Yes, sir!”

The red light grew even stronger, converting the emotions of every person in contact with the central district’s magic circle into magic power—a devastating final blow.

The battle between Sorciera and Rokuhara stirred excitement or fear among the onlookers, their heightened emotions further amplifying Rokuhara’s strength.

“Good… Let’s pierce right through!”

Gradually, the red light began to overpower the silver, devouring it as if consuming everything in its path. It appeared like a countdown to the falling of a star.

But at this point, Rokuhara played one last card.

“Eina, you’ve got reserves, don’t you? Pour out at least fifty percent. The board will take responsibility.”
“Understood! If I can beat my sister, I’ll do my best!”

Additional formulas appeared on the magic circle, optimizing the process of absorbing and converting emotions.
As a result, the red light overwhelmed Sorciera’s converging cannon fire.

The red consumed the silver light like a devouring beast and soon――.

“Haha! My victory!”

The red light pierced through where Sorciera had stood.
It destroyed the purple magic circle and swept away every cloud in the night sky.

The blow fired from the ground had indeed pierced the stars.

Before long, Rokuhara’s cannon fire also ceased.
Gradually dimming, the beam dissolved into the night, leaving only a lingering echo.

“Did… did we win? Did we really win!?”
“Yeah. Who do you think I am――huh?”

A light tap on his back.
Simultaneously, he felt something warm spreading across it.

“What the…?”

Rokuhara turned around.
Standing there was none other than Sorciera.

(Spatial magic? No, Eina should have detected it… or did she conceal it during that cannon fire?)

Sorciara’s converging cannon fire was potent enough to mask the faint presence of spatial magic.

From the point her cannon fire began to lose to Rokuhara’s assault, her presence had vanished.

(She wasn’t even there in the first place.)

Following the trajectory of his gaze, the sky revealed a rapidly fading bluish-purple magic circle—a modified autonomous cannon magic circle.

(Why did she get so close? What’s her objective?)

Sorciara had made repeated attempts to approach Rokuhara.
Had she wanted, she could’ve ended it with her converging cannon fire—this much was now clear.

Then why did she feign using her signature attack just to get close?
The answer lay in the dagger she carried.

“You… poisoned me, didn’t you?”

Rokuhara collapsed onto his back as Sorciara watched him with disdain.

(Not a normal poison. Likely something magically crafted…)

His limbs started to go numb.
He could faintly hear Eina’s cries but lacked the strength to respond.

“You won’t die. Rest assured,” Sorciera said coldly.

This wasn’t a duel to the death for her.
From the start, her intent had been to incapacitate Rokuhara.

(She toyed with me completely…)

This wasn’t a decisive battle.
It was merely a script written by her, and he had played his role.

“Damn it…!”
“Leader! Leader!”

Eina, reverting to her human form, clung to Rokuhara, shaking him repeatedly. Then she turned to glare at Sorciera.

“What are you planning to do with us!?”
“Nothing,” Sorciera replied, turning away.

“Until the day of reckoning, grow stronger. Your abilities should far exceed this.”

Leaving those words, Sorciera disappeared into a bluish-purple spatial magic circle.

Silence reclaimed the battlefield.

“…Leader,” Eina called out, her voice heavy with emotion.

Then she noticed—

“Haha… Haha… Hahahahaha!”

Rokuhara laughed.
Fiercely, innocently, from the depths of his soul.

“Eina, I’ve decided.”
“What?”

Though paralyzed, Rokuhara forced his right arm to move and reached for the brightest star in the night sky.

“That star… I’ll bring it down.”

Eina was startled.
“You’re still going to fight?”
“Of course. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this humiliated. Ah, she’s fascinating—truly fascinating!”

Rokuhara laughed once more.
At the heart of a ruined world, his laughter echoed endlessly.