For Miroku, Mizuhi was an ever-present, natural part of her world.

Since childhood, Mizuhi, in contrast to Miroku, resolved matters through instinct rather than logic, and through strength rather than words.

Because of this, they had always complemented each other’s shortcomings, living their lives intertwined.

However, that was only because they had never been forced to make a choice.
When one of them was required to step away, who should disappear?

Mizuhi Terukami possessed a natural aptitude as an explorer.
This was something Miroku knew all too well.

For that reason, Miroku decided Mizuhi was the right one to remain at Fectom Academy.

There was someone at the academy who could replace her—
a young man with a nature similar to hers. With him, the academy could continue to function around Mizuhi as it always had.

Thus, this choice was logical and optimal.

Yet, what was this scene unfolding before her eyes?

“Hah… hah…”

Before her stood her childhood friend, battered and gasping for air.

Mizuhi fired twice.
The bullets exploded into flames in front of Orthros, scattering like fireworks before raining down as fiery projectiles.

However, they no longer had much effect on Orthros.

“I’ve seen that before.”

Orthros roared.
Deflecting the bullets aimed at Shieru’s platform with his head, he charged at Mizuhi.

“Four moves.”

Mizuhi retaliated, releasing water bullets into the ground to create an instant barrier.

But a tail whipped around the wall, slamming her sideways.

“Ah—gah!”

Mizuhi tumbled across the floor before landing on her feet, adjusting her stance.
However, Orthros’s sharp claws were already upon her.

“!”
“Five moves.”

(His defenses are predictable. In that case…)

Mizuhi abandoned defense.
She fired a bullet to her side, immediately detonating it.

The blast threw her sideways, narrowly avoiding the claws that sliced through the air a split second later.

Standing, she laughed defiantly.

“What’s wrong? Weren’t you going to take me down in seven moves?”
“It’s no problem. Seven moves is merely the shortest path to incapacitate you. This evasion only ensures further damage accumulates. Hit or miss, the outcome won’t change.”
“Mizuhi, you can’t win. Stop this.”
“I’m far from done.”

Though her legs trembled, Mizuhi slapped her cheek and raised her gun.

“Kei is holding them off alone. Toa believes in me. Giving up is not an option.”
“Stubborn as always. I hate that about you.”

Miroku’s words drew only a smile from Mizuhi.
She fired at the platform.

Nothing had changed. She was still stalling for time until Toa’s converging cannon was ready to fire.

Destroying the platform wasn’t her intent.
Her true aim was to divert attention from Toa.

“Well? What’s the matter, Professor? Can’t your junk defeat even a lowly explorer like me?”
“A cheap taunt. But I’ll indulge it. Shieru.”
“Six moves.”

Orthros abandoned his defensive stance, charging at Mizuhi with a speed unfitting his massive frame.

“Tch, bring it!”

Dodging tail swipes and claws, Mizuhi evaded relentlessly.
The attacks, though immense in force, were purely physical.
By carefully dodging each one, she could buy more time for Toa’s cannon.

“Ugh…!”

Gradually, her movements lost their sharpness.
Fatigue dulled her reactions, and Orthros’s tail struck her directly.

“—gh!”

Though she summoned a magic barrier, it shattered instantly, slamming her into the ground.
The air left her lungs, and her consciousness briefly faded.

“Ahh…”

Seeing Mizuhi crumpled on the floor, Orthros returned to the platform.
Clenching her fists, Miroku spoke calmly.

“Do you understand now? This is reality. Forget about me.”
“Rea…lity…”

Wiping blood from her mouth, Mizuhi stood.
Her trembling hands raised her gun once more.

“Stop this already.”
“I figured you’d stand again. Then, seven moves it is.”

At the professor’s command, Orthros moved again.

But this time, his target wasn’t Mizuhi.
It was Toa, who stood unmoving, focused on the converging cannon.

“Toa!”
“Mizuhi, stay back!”

Orthros’s tail lashed toward Toa.
Rushing in, Mizuhi shielded Toa, conjuring a sturdy barrier.

Though the barrier dampened the blow, it brought Mizuhi to her knees.

“Mizuhi!”
“Seven moves, perfectly executed. As expected of Demonsgear.”
“The cannon’s damage calculations are complete. Penetrating Orthros’s barrier is impossible.”
“Mizuhi…”

Seeing her childhood friend collapse, Miroku extended her hand but stopped herself.

“Mizuhi, we’ve won. Go back.”
“Rea…lity…”

Trembling, Mizuhi picked up her gun.
Her vacant eyes reflected her body’s limits.

“Mizuhi, stop this.”
“Then come back… Miroku.”

Despite everything, she demanded only one thing.
Her stubbornness drove Miroku to scream through tears.

“How long will you cling to this? I’m no longer a student of that academy! Don’t waste my resolve! If you die here, it’s all meaningless!”

If the happiness achieved through her sacrifice was lost, Miroku would lose her sense of purpose entirely.
This fear of loss was her deepest dread.

Understanding Miroku’s so-called resolve, Mizuhi sighed.

“Resolve… That’s your resolve?”
“Yes. I want to stay with you all, but someone must make sacrifices. And the most useless should bear that role!”

Anger flared across Mizuhi’s face for the first time.

“Don’t kid me!”

Pain forgotten, she let her fury erupt.

“That’s resolve? No, that’s self-pity!”

Fueled by emotion, she continued.

“Did you talk to me? Complain to Toa? Ask Kei for help? No, you decided alone. That’s not resolve—it’s arrogance!”
“Then what should I have done?”

Mizuhi smiled gently, despite Miroku’s pained cry.
Dropping her gun, she declared,

“I’ll show you now. Toa, fire the cannon.”
“But it’ll miss!”

Orthros stood still, confident they posed no threat.

“It’s not for Orthros. Aim at me.”
“What?!”

Toa stared at Mizuhi in disbelief.

“Toa”
“Ah!”

Toa immediately dismissed the thought.
The eyes calling her name still held life.

“Will you trust me?”
“…Alright.”

There was no basis for this trust.
Even so, Toa chose to believe.

“Standard output ‘Artemis’—fire!”

A golden light was unleashed.
The most powerful condensed magical shot surged straight toward Mizuhi.

“That’s fine.”

Mizuhi extended her right hand toward the light.
She then activated a single magic circle.

“What is that!?”
‘Hmm, a convergent artillery magic circle? …But the magic formula is riddled with inefficiencies. No, it’s not even complete.’

The Professor’s observation was spot on.
The convergent shot struck the magic circle, causing cracks to form rather than being absorbed.

Re-converging an already-fired shot was theoretically possible but only just that—mere theory.

“Guh… Ughhh!”

Using her left hand, she created another identical magic circle to reinforce the damaged one.
She continued to face the convergent shot head-on.

‘…Convergent artillery requires extraordinary talent. And you lack that. Continuing this is a waste of time. Shieru, eliminate her.’
“What!? Professor, this goes against our agreement! You promised not to harm other students!”

Miroku’s shout was met with the Professor’s unmasked irritation.

‘The deal was to keep Fectom Academy functional. The blond brat over there and one more student—whoever that is—should suffice. Just kill her quickly. Besides—’

The Professor grinned maliciously.

‘Next, her body seems rather promising.’
“!! Mizuhi, please, you have to run!”

Miroku cried out in despair.
She pounded her fists against the platform, powerless without her Dive Gear.

(If I flee now, they’ll eventually catch me. There’s no choice but to settle this here.)

Despite the dire situation, Mizuhi remained unexpectedly calm.
Pain, impatience, and everything else vanished as her thoughts became serene, like a still surface of water.

(Remember, what did she—Sorciera—say back then?)

During her fight with Sorciera, Mizuhi had obtained a clue.
No, it was likely that Sorciera had deliberately left her a signpost.

‘…Flames are simply a simplified concept of incineration through self-interpretation. Similarly, water is merely a byproduct of imagining precise magical control.’

The meaning of those words revealed the essence of Mizuhi’s power.

(If her words are true, my ability is far greater than this. Now’s the time to awaken it!)

Mizuhi’s true aim in intercepting Toa’s convergent shot was a form of shock therapy through excessive mana absorption.

By doing so, she simulated the scenario where Sorciera had previously interfered with her and demonstrated a convergent shot.

(By releasing excess mana as flames to minimize strain and manipulating mana like a flowing stream…)

Piece by piece, everything aligned.
Mizuhi disassembled an already-completed projectile and restructured it as a new ability.
She was on the verge of completing this process without the aid of Dive Gear’s computational power.

But the Professor wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip.

‘Shieru, demonstrate a true artillery strike. Show her what a hero’s attack looks like.’
‘…’
‘Shieru, did you hear me?’
‘…Understood.’

With Shieru’s computational support, Orthros roared once more.
A brilliant light began building in its maw, more powerful than its initial shot.

“No! Mizuhi, run!”
“Run? Never! I’m so close—so close to—”
‘Fire.’

Orthros unleashed its beam.
A death ray, unwavering and precise, raced straight toward Mizuhi.
She couldn’t dodge or defend; all she could do was glare at the approaching light.
Everyone anticipated her imminent demise.

But then—

From a hole in the ceiling, a silver light cascaded down.
Like a falling star, the radiance intercepted and neutralized Orthros’s beam.

‘What… What is this!? This mana depth…’
‘…Sister.’

The Professor and Shieru simultaneously understood.
Through the hole in the ceiling, a silver star shone brightly in the night sky.

Sorciera stood, her long hair flowing in the wind, gazing intently at them.

‘Professor, Orthros cannot defeat Sister. We should retreat.’
‘Hahaha! Nonsense! With Orthros perfected, I have nothing to fear! Heroes never flee! First, let’s deal with that spare body of mine!’

As the Professor moved to control Orthros, a sudden and tremendous shockwave rocked the surroundings.

‘What!? What’s happening!?’

The supposedly safe Professor fell on his rear in surprise.
When he looked up, he saw Orthros, battered and embedded in the wall from a devastating impact.

‘…What?’

Fire sparks danced around Orthros.
It was evident—a massive explosion had occurred.

‘What happened!? What is this!?’
‘Could it be—’

The faint sound of burning air reached their ears.
The source of the sound exhaled softly and looked up at the stars.

“—Thank you, Sorciera. From here, do not interfere further.”

As if responding to her words, Sorciera vanished.
Simultaneously, flames surged through the facility.
They spread like a creeping tide, climbing walls and covering ceilings.

At the center of it all stood Mizuhi, serene and composed.
Her breath carried flames, each exhale scattering embers.

There was no mistaking it.
In that moment, she was the absolute ruler of this blazing world.