A Crushing Victory

Outside the mansion lay a vast stretch of wasteland. It should have been a neatly maintained lawn, but it had fallen into disrepair over the long years. The weeds grew as high as a person's waist, lending the mansion an air of eerie strangeness.

But now, those withered weeds had been swept away, leaving behind soft, sandy ground. It felt somewhat yielding underfoot, but at least a fall would not cause any injury.

Aozaki Aoko had changed into clothes better suited for movement and cautiously kept a relatively safe distance from Michael. At the same time, a barrier that interfered with the five senses had been erected. Even if the battle inside turned the world upside down, no one outside would notice.

"To ensure the lesson is effective, I'll limit my physical strength. As for magecraft, I'll only use Reinforcement and Magic Bullets. If you have no questions, then begin. Attack me with everything you have."

Michael stood loosely across from her, looking utterly unconcerned.

"Hmph—"

Aoko gave a soft snort through her nose. The blood within her body began shifting into an abnormal circulation, transforming into imaginary elements. Her heart seemed to become some other unknown mechanism, awakening another circuit that had lain dormant.

Azure Mage Circuits unfolded, radiating the fluorescent glow of magical energy. Most magi had formulas suited to them, whether tangible or intangible, into which they poured their magical energy.

Methods such as "release," "fire," and "direct" all differed, but Aoko preferred the feeling of flicking it out with her own hand.

The whistling Magic Bullet shot toward Michael at high speed, powerful enough to blast through a half-meter-thick concrete wall—provided it hit.

"Too slow. Is this the magecraft you're so proud of?"

A light laugh sounded beside her ear. Before she could even activate the Magic Bullet Formula, Michael had already charged forward. After swaying aside to evade the oncoming Magic Bullet, he was already less than five meters from Aoko.

Though he had not shown it openly, Michael had undoubtedly used Reinforcement magecraft to strengthen his body. Crossing five meters required less than a single breath.

Aoko's mind remained calm. Her heart rate was just over sixty beats per minute, and her breathing did not falter in the slightest as her brain rapidly analyzed the situation.

There was no time to activate the Magic Bullet Formula again. At that moment, time seemed to freeze, and Michael's fist slowly enlarged in her vision.

If I do this, it'll work!

She used the same Reinforcement magecraft. Though she only reinforced half her body, that was already an exceptional performance for Aoko.

Her left foot shifted slightly forward, and she drew her right elbow back to her waist. Twisting at the hips, she drove her thigh outward in a kick aimed at Michael's flank.

Aoko had the advantage in reach. Before Michael's fist could arrive, her kick would definitely land first.

"Heh—"

The Magic Bullet Formula unfolded in an instant. Such simple magecraft did not even require Michael to guide it. Aoko only saw a streak of azure Rainbow Light flash past, and then she was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the soft sand.

Seeing this, Alice Kuonji, who had been supervising from the side, could not help narrowing her eyes. Though she used Fairy Tale System Sorcery, completely different from modern magecraft, that did not mean her attainments in magecraft were low. Compared to the novice magus Aozaki Aoko, she could see much more.

Michael's Magic Bullet had only seemed ordinary on the surface. It was a composite formula coupled with meticulous magical energy control. Though it had not injured Aoko, the impact of the hit was more than enough to leave her reeling.

The spot that had been struck went numb, but intense pain soon surged through it, making her feel as if her ribs had broken. Every breath brought heart-rending agony.

Aoko forced herself to stand. In stark contrast to the pain wracking her body, her mind was exceptionally clear. Her brain raced at a speed it had never reached before, and both the magical energy within her and the free magical energy in the atmosphere seemed on the verge of boiling.

The composite Magic Bullet Formula Michael had constructed earlier was unexpectedly clear in her mind. Her magical energy instinctively formed an entirely new formula, far faster than usual. Ten Magic Bullets, like shells loaded into a cannon, were stored within the formula on her right wrist, yet she did not launch an attack rashly.

Judging from Michael's earlier display, unless she fired Magic Bullets from point-blank range, she had no hope of hitting him at a distance. She would only waste magical energy and time.

Her body bent slightly forward, and a Reinforcement Formula lit up across her long legs. The sand beneath her feet exploded, and Aoko vanished amid the swirling dust.

"A very smart choice."

Michael, who was not far from Aoko, was swept up in the flying sand. His visibility dropped, and it would indeed have caused an ordinary magus a little trouble.

But the one she faced had never been an ordinary magus.

Michael shot out a hand and grabbed above his head. Sure enough, his fingers closed around a warm ankle wrapped in stockings, and then he viciously swung her toward the ground.

"Hehe—It's over!"

A cunning smile appeared on Aoko's face. There was none of the disappointment of impending defeat. Everything had gone exactly as she expected. Only this way could she ensure that every following attack smashed into Michael's infuriatingly punchable face.

The Magic Bullet Formula unfolded over her raised right arm. All ten rounds were unleashed in less than a second. At this distance, she did not believe Michael could evade them.

"It really is over."

Michael shook his head slightly. His free hand opened, and the same Magic Bullet Formula unfolded. Ten identical Magic Bullets shot forth, precisely intercepting Aoko's Magic Bullets in midair before her stunned eyes.

All she could hear was the howling wind. Accompanied by an irresistible impact, darkness swallowed her vision, and she lost consciousness.

Alice hurried over. After examining Aoko, she found that nothing was seriously wrong and could not help sighing in relief. It was only severe exhaustion; some rest would do.

"You used more than just Reinforcement and Magic Bullets, didn't you?"

Alice turned toward him. Though her voice remained as calm as ever, it was like a surging undercurrent beneath the sea's surface. If she did not receive a reasonable explanation, it could turn into a tsunami at any moment.

"That's right. But the results were good, weren't they?"

Michael admitted it without hesitation, then dispelled the formula covering the barrier. The active magical energy in the atmosphere immediately became sluggish again, returning to its previous state.

"Will it cause any harm?"

"The heir to the Fifth Magic has a strong mind. A little strain won't bring her down."

Alice stared at Michael. Her pitch-black eyes were like two bottomless wells, hiding something dangerous beneath that darkness.

"All right."

Michael instinctively turned his head away, avoiding Alice's gaze.

"It really was only a little strain."

"Really only... the tiniest little bit..."