A Righteous Backstab

Late at night, five days later, on the fifth floor of Misaki High School.

Crisp footsteps echoed through the empty, spacious corridor. Cold moonlight streamed through the windows, illuminating just enough of the path ahead. The classrooms on the right were pitch-black, their neatly arranged desks and chairs resembling vague shadows in the darkness, giving off an ominous air.

The school, so lively during the day, had fallen completely silent in the dead of night, like a graveyard.

Aozaki Aoko took a deep breath and shook her head, banishing the thought from her mind. She then focused on every movement around her. In such a silent environment, where even a dropped pin could be heard, launching a stealthy ambush would not be easy.

The hem of her red skirt rose and fell slightly with her steps, while her long hair draped lightly over her shoulders. She was not wearing her usual school uniform, having changed into casual clothes better suited for movement.

Her dignified bearing made it difficult to associate her with an ordinary high school student. Though she was called the "Demon President" as a joke, the current Aozaki Aoko carried such a powerful will that it seemed capable of piercing straight through a person.

The door leading to the rooftop was tightly locked, for the students' safety. But a locked door was no obstacle to the student council president, Aozaki Aoko. She took out a spare key and found the right one.

The somewhat rusty lock let out a piercing squeal as it turned. Aozaki Aoko lightly furrowed her brows and activated the Mage Circuits in her right arm, illuminating the dim space.

Just as she was about to push the door open, she instinctively touched the glass cat charm hanging from her waist. According to the plan made at the mansion, all she had to do was lure the invading magus to the designated location. Alice Kuonji would handle the rest.

Though she wanted to defeat that bastard herself, considering the gap in their strength, it was really frustrating...

Aozaki Aoko clenched her fists in resentment. God knew how much trouble that bastard had caused her these past few days. If she could stuff him into a concrete pillar and sink him in some pond, she definitely would not hesitate. She would even use double the concrete.

She exhaled softly and adjusted her state of mind. Then, without hesitation, she pushed open the door. Moonlight poured in from outside like spilled mercury, swallowing her whole.

A slender humanoid figure stood in the middle of the rooftop, quietly waiting for its invited guest. Gentle moonlight illuminated its cold, rigid face. That face looked unexpectedly similar to Aoko's, and under Aozaki Aoko's astonished gaze, the corner of its mouth hidden beneath its long hair curled upward slightly.

Damn it, that guy...

The emotions she had only just managed to calm surged once more into towering waves. Aozaki Aoko felt her fists harden. She had never expected that guy to have such disgusting tastes.

It was only a puppet. She would tear it apart and turn it into irreparable trash!

Rage blazed in her heart. Aozaki Aoko raised her right arm, and the Magic Bullet Formula unfolded. A deep azure Magic Bullet trailed a brilliant glow through the air, leaving a conspicuous streak as it ruthlessly smashed toward the puppet's faintly smiling face.

Compared to the school building that looked like a funeral hall, the back mountain of Misaki High School looked like a field of unmarked graves at night. The howling cold wind swept through the endless forest, letting out mournful shrieks.

Michael walked through the forest with both hands in his pockets, stepping on the soft fallen leaves. His whole body felt somewhat light and unsteady. Bare branches, stripped of all their leaves, sprawled freely through the space above, so there was no need to worry about being scratched.

After walking for about half an hour, the forest vanished before him. On a flat slope stood a lone, rundown low building. The surrounding trees enclosed it like walls, as though mourning the time that had long passed.

This was Misaki High School's old school building. It had been abandoned long ago. The bright, clean, modern school building was favored by the students, while the structure here had long been forgotten and was now used as a warehouse.

"I never thought Touko's base would be here."

Michael spoke with a sigh, then stopped, keeping a safe distance from the old school building.

"It is simply more convenient here."

Tōko Aozaki's soft laugh mingled with the howling cold wind, sounding somewhat distorted. She was still wearing that fitted green suit, looking alluring yet thoroughly dangerous, like thorns lurking in the surrounding shadows.

"Interested in coming in for a look? You are the first guest to come here."

"No. It is pretty clear whether this place welcomes a guest like me. I never expected Touko to ultimately choose to become my enemy. Today, I fear I will lose an old friend."

Michael cleanly refused Tōko Aozaki's offer. Entering another magus's workshop casually was a major taboo, especially when the other party was an expert in Rune Magecraft.

"What a pity."

"I find it regrettable as well."

Michael quietly took a step back. His azure eyes silently lit up, emitting a soft glow.

"Can people not have a little more trust in each other? I came to this meeting with great sincerity."

"Trust can exist between people, but Mr. Michael, you seem to be a Dead Apostle. Dead Apostles do not fall within the category of humans."

Aozaki Aoko leisurely walked in front of Michael and snapped her fingers. Countless words surged out from behind her, golden flowers blooming freely like exquisite works of art.

These words were not limited to the magecraft systems of Western Europe. They represented dozens, even hundreds, of schools of magecraft, gathering into the shape of wings that shielded Tōko Aozaki within them.

"And you came here intending to kill me too, did you not?"

"So nothing can be hidden from you. That is why I hate smart people, especially smart women."

Michael sighed softly. A long dagger silently appeared in his hand. Its darkened blade reflected none of the moonlight, with only the inscriptions etched across its surface gleaming with magical light.

The Demon-Slaying Dagger—this was the gift he had prepared for Tōko Aozaki. In terms of its anti-magic properties alone, it was no less formidable than a legendary Noble Phantasm. It was the bane of magi.

"The feng shui here is quite good. At the very least, it is more than enough to bury an Archmage."

"You are fond of Eastern culture, but do you know an ancient proverb? The clever are often undone by their own cleverness."

Tōko Aozaki seemed to have anticipated this scene long ago. Whether it was five hundred million pounds or anything else, it had all been nothing more than bait.

Snap—

The crisp sound of a snapping finger rang out again. An intense sense of danger exploded in Michael's heart. Without thinking, he slashed the dagger behind him.

The black blade tore through the air with the speed of thunder. Though it was an assassination dagger, in Michael's hand it carried the force of a greatsword.

The blade seemed to strike something. An overwhelming force traveled through the dagger, and the unexpected impact made Michael unable to hold on to it, sending it flying from his grasp.

A small fist knocked the dagger away, then slammed heavily into his chest.

Boom—!

Michael was sent flying, crashing through several trees before falling limply to the ground.

"Hiss—"

He touched his chest and sucked in a cold breath. He felt only numbness. His breastbone groaned under the strain, and on the verge of splitting open, it nearly sent his heart bursting apart. Half of his right arm had gone numb as well. Yet compared to those injuries, Michael was more concerned with the person who had attacked him without making a sound.

"I see. A Phantasmal Species... Touko, you really went all out."

Michael narrowed his eyes and looked at the leisurely youth walking toward him, recognizing the inhuman essence beneath that exquisite, artwork-like face.