At that moment, Roland had undergone a decisive change compared to before.
"How is that possible?"
Intense unease crept onto Aoko's face.
Even if Roland's constant displays of new methods she had never seen before had irritated her, that had been all.
Unease was not an emotion that should have appeared in a True Magic User who could already use time freely, not even when Aoko had vaguely realized that she could not defeat Roland.
She possessed memories and experience from the future. This was precisely the source of Aoko Aozaki's absolute confidence. Even if they would not translate directly into practical help, that informational advantage still gave Aoko Aozaki the confidence that she could control the situation.
The current Roland could not yet defeat her, who likewise possessed True Magic. As for what sort of ritual he would use to grow, and where those crucial factors would fulfill its conditions, she knew even more clearly than Roland himself. As long as she moved first, she could delay and obstruct those elements that would cause her to lose control.
Yet the unexpected had happened all the same.
His appearance and condition had not changed at all, but the timeline spreading outward from Roland grew increasingly wild and distorted.
Most importantly, for the first time, Aoko sensed unmistakable hostility from that third "Counter Force," which had actively helped her cross the threshold of True Magic and had remained poised without acting.
"Without the environment, without sacrifices, without fulfilling any of the many necessary conditions, how did you begin Heaven's Ritual?!"
In her excessive urgency, even Aoko Aozaki's clear voice grew somewhat muddied.
"This is a one-way journey, Aoko." Neither joy nor anger could be heard in Roland's voice, and his tone sounded more unfamiliar than ever, but that obsession alone was