Chapter 46

"Does that really matter? All I see right now is someone completely devoid of fighting spirit. Even if you kill me now, so what? You're still the same coward who tucks tail and runs the moment you see your little sister."

Kill this brat right here.

That thought kept churning through Aozaki Touko's mind. But what would killing him even accomplish? Even if she didn't do it herself, her sister would take care of him eventually.

No need for it. Aoko will inherit everything.

But if that were truly the case, then where was this anger coming from?

Yes, anger.

"What are you trying to do?"

Aozaki Touko couldn't lie to herself after all. She still wasn't willing to give up. If there was still a chance, she wanted to defeat her sister.

Besides, what was so shameful about having help?

If it weren't for that clueless hothead back then, Aoko would have bitten the dust years ago. She wouldn't be strutting around like she owned the place now.

Now the tables had turned. It was finally her turn to have someone on her side.

"Your original plan revolved around that puppet as the core. Now that I've destroyed it, you have no way to deal with your sister, right?"

Fujimaru Kyoya dodged Magic Bullets as he spoke, trying to reignite the Grand Puppeteer's fighting spirit. Only by joining forces could the two of them defeat that Magus.

"I'll say it again. Let me replace the puppet. You continue your tactics. How about it?"

"You? Can you pull it off?"

The reason Aozaki Touko had studied Moon Dew Liquid—something outside her specialty—was because she understood that the physical capabilities of Age of Gods heroes were too terrifying to replicate with modern tools. Mercury was merely a stopgap measure. Yet this brat was claiming he could replace that puppet.

Was this guy planning to recreate the techniques of Age of Gods heroes?

Even if he had a thorough understanding of the Flowing Water Sword, could his body withstand it?

A flood of questions rushed into Aozaki Touko's mind, but the Magic Bullets whizzing past her urged her to make a decision.

"Did you bring the Mystic Code from the Moon Blade Edge?"

"No."

Fujimaru Kyoya had been quick enough to grab that sword, but he had no idea about any other Mystic Codes, let alone which ones would be useful.

"Without the spatial adaptability those Mystic Codes provide, you can't perform instantaneous movement. You'll have to face a Magus head-on. Even so, are you willing to fight?"

"Right now, there's no reason not to fight."

As long as a person lived in this world, they had to keep "fighting." Until death, "fighting" never stopped.

"Hm? Where's Touko?"

Just as Aozaki Aoko thought she had shaken them off, Fujimaru Kyoya stood alone blocking her path, the Holy Sword gripped in his hand, seemingly ready for battle.

"We just formed an alliance. Given the current situation, unless we join forces, you're guaranteed to win."

"Is that so?"

Aozaki Aoko closed her eyes and pondered for a moment. It was a deliberately exposed opening, but also a chance to sense the Great Cavern.

By now, the Underground Great Cavern had been altered by Aozaki Touko. At certain moments, it would reveal her will. In Aozaki Aoko's perception, that despondency was gradually fading. Her sister was starting to come back.

"I see. So you've prepared yourself too."

Mana began to converge. Aozaki Aoko trusted that her sister would never do anything to harm the Aozaki Family. That meant this young man had earned her approval.

So Aozaki Aoko could trust her sister's judgment too. But that didn't mean she would go easy on him. The moment he interfered in Aozaki Family affairs, it meant there was no way he was walking away unscathed.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Fujimaru Kyoya gripped the Holy Sword in his hand. That familiar feeling returned to his body. Even though this was the first time this body had held it, it felt like meeting an old friend he'd known for ages.

Fujimaru Kyoya's physical condition naturally hadn't reached Lloyd's level. Though he had the combat experience and techniques down cold, applying what he knew from simulations to reality required long-term training.

Time was absolutely not on Fujimaru Kyoya's side.

So for Fujimaru Kyoya right now, only one path remained—Imitation Fist.

As he'd said before, Imitation Fist was the imitation of the most powerful beings. Building on Imitation Fist and combining it with Jewel Magecraft, he had birthed his unique "Jewel Imitation Fist."

But had he ever seen something more powerful than firearms?

Of course he had. Himself.

The stance of the Flowing Water Sword appeared on Fujimaru Kyoya. This was his Imitation Fist now—imitating himself. The Lloyd Imitation Fist.

The atmosphere shifted.

Aozaki Aoko, who had been nonchalant until now, faced her poised enemy and felt something different for the first time. It was as if an ancient hero had possessed the opponent before her.

"Imitation? Is that even possible?"

As a fellow martial-style Magus, Aozaki Aoko could tell what Fujimaru Kyoya was doing. She just couldn't believe there existed an imitation of such "purity" in this world.

No Magecraft at all. Relying solely on willpower, imagination, and familiarity with the target to achieve a technique bordering on possession.

Was this really possible?

Under normal circumstances, of course not. But Fujimaru Kyoya was different. He had the Ghost Brain granting him immense imagination and willpower, and he knew himself better than anyone.

Thus "Lloyd" once again appeared in this world.

"This guy... maybe he really can pull it off."

Aozaki Touko was hiding nearby, ready to provide support. Originally, she had only been testing the waters, but she never expected Fujimaru Kyoya to bring her such a pleasant surprise.

Fate truly played its tricks.

Back then, when she was on the verge of defeating her younger sister, someone had stopped her. Now, it was as if their roles had been swapped.

Chapter 82: Recreating Dragon Ball Z

The battle resumed. Even a Magus couldn't use their physical body to withstand the edge of a Holy Sword, but that didn't mean Fujimaru Kyoya had the upper hand.

The reason Fujimaru Kyoya was willing to bury the hatchet with Aozaki Touko—aside from the fact that without her he would surely die—was that as long as she fought alongside him, this matter would remain within the scope of "sisters fighting," and Aozaki Aoko wouldn't use magic.

He had thought this would narrow the gap between them, but in truth, he was too naive.

Aozaki Aoko looked young, but her combat experience was anything but lacking, let alone the fact that she possessed the Fifth Magic, whose true nature remained unknown.

Even a branch ability of that magic could accomplish time travel limited to Aozaki Aoko alone. In other words, the person before him might even be older than her own sister.

That was magic—amazing, wasn't it?

Fujimaru Kyoya's Flowing Water Sword naturally wasn't as rigid as a puppet's, but building his sword momentum to its peak under Aozaki Aoko's assault was extremely difficult. That required Aozaki Touko's help.

The Accumulated Magic Eye activated once more, its multiplied power pressing down on Aozaki Aoko. It only caused a brief pause, giving Fujimaru Kyoya an opening to close in.

The dense hail of gunfire fell silent for an instant. In that instant, Fujimaru Kyoya charged forward.

In the dim Underground Great Cavern, pale Mayflies swirled around Fujimaru Kyoya, forming a protective barrier that allowed him to get a little closer to his target.

Magic Bullets came again. Aozaki Touko's Mayflies were shot down one after another, while Fujimaru Kyoya used his "First Before First" ability to dodge every attack he could.

Finally, he reached Aozaki Aoko's side.

The sharp blade swung toward her. There was no room for mercy—this was a fight to the death. Fujimaru Kyoya aimed for vital points with every strike. Faced with such a threat, Aozaki Aoko made her choice.

She threw a punch.

A fist brimming with Mana came at him. Fujimaru Kyoya could have dodged, but if he did, he would waste the hard-won chance to close in.

Fujimaru Kyoya didn't evade. The Mayflies protecting him shattered under Aozaki Aoko's fist. The blow landed solidly on his body, while his sword left a gash on hers, and blood began to flow.

"That was dangerous. I almost died just now."

Aozaki Aoko covered her wound. She didn't say that out of fear of death—with the Fifth Magic, how could she die so easily?

But if she were killed, even if it didn't mean death, it would mean defeat.

Aozaki Aoko used offense as defense, stopping what would have been a fatal strike. Yet even as she blocked Fujimaru Kyoya, her sister was still hiding in the shadows.

A dark figure lunged at Aozaki Aoko. It was a puppet in the shape of a Red-Haired Girl, bearing a face similar to Aozaki Aoko's, but its limbs were more numerous than a spider's, making it look grotesque and unsettling.

"Touko, your bad taste hasn't changed after all these years."

Thanks to this puppet's ambush, Aozaki Aoko couldn't press her advantage against Fujimaru Kyoya. She had seen such puppets before, but this one clearly had more functions than the last.

More retractable arms, Magic Bullets that were weak but highly disruptive, greater mobility—these traits all told Aozaki Aoko one thing: this puppet wasn't a main attacker but a support unit.

The one she truly needed to watch out for was still that boy.

Fujimaru Kyoya attacked again. Though he was surprised by Aozaki Aoko's combat experience, if this was all she had...

"If I were only this strong, Touko wouldn't have gone to so much trouble."

Multiple magic circles coiled around Aozaki Aoko's arms. Whether it was an illusion or not, her hair seemed to grow even redder.

Aozaki Aoko realized it—this boy's combat experience far exceeded her expectations. Once locked in close combat, even without the puppet's interference, she would struggle to gain an advantage.

In that case, she would use raw power to overcome finesse.

How much Mana did a Magus have?

That was clearly a meaningless question. Magic itself was a "miracle," and driving a miracle required a great cost—that cost was Mana.

A Magus's Mana was never lacking. Even if Aozaki Aoko didn't use magic, that Mana was still terrifying, enough to vaporize Fujimaru Kyoya entirely.

The puppet naturally wouldn't sit by and watch Fujimaru Kyoya die. It hastened its attacks, but this finally provoked Aozaki Aoko.

"Trash should just stay quietly in the trash heap."

A casual Magic Bullet struck the puppet. Given its speed, dodging this attack should have been effortless, yet the bullet hit.

It hit?

Aozaki Aoko's casual shot was only meant to disrupt, but she hadn't expected a pleasant surprise—destroying the puppet.

Yet a sense of unease crept into her heart. Would her sister make such a low-level mistake at a time like this?

Of course not.

Amid the puppet's debris, a figure appeared.

Aozaki Aoko had been too focused on Fujimaru Kyoya. By the time she noticed this figure, it was already too late.

"Aoko, do you remember this move?"

Aozaki Touko had hidden her physical body inside the puppet, and the moment it was shattered, she appeared behind Aozaki Aoko. Such a dangerous move was completely unlike what a puppeteer should do.

But only by breaking the rules could there be any hope of winning this battle.

Just as Aozaki Touko was about to do next—Magic Circuit Disruption.

"You bastard."

How could Aozaki Aoko not remember this move?

Back when she was still immature, she had carelessly fallen for it, leaving her unable to use magecraft for a short time.

It was a very low-level trick, because a seasoned magus, when hit with such an attack, could even counter it with the same technique.

Exactly as she was about to do now.

Almost simultaneously, both sisters' Magic Circuits suffered varying degrees of interference, rendering magecraft unusable for a short while. But at this critical moment, being unable to use magecraft had already decided victory or defeat.

"Aoko, I've won this time."

Aozaki Touko, enduring the searing pain, used her body to restrain her younger sister, giving Fujimaru Kyoya the chance to land the killing blow on their enemy.

Seriously, was this a tribute to Dragon Ball Z?

Fujimaru Kyoya had no time to quip now. He couldn't waste the opportunity Aozaki Touko had bought with her life. He couldn't miss his chance.

Chapter 83: When People Are Killed, They Die

Fujimaru Kyoya's sword did not hesitate. With his combat experience from the simulator, he knew the vital point—the location of the heart.

Flesh and blood could not withstand the Holy Sword. Time seemed to slow as he watched his blade pierce Aozaki Aoko's chest, and with that momentum, the sword sank further into Aozaki Touko's body.

The two sisters were run through by the Holy Sword. Their shattered hearts had already sealed the outcome of this battle.

"I win."