**Chapter: 81. Garuda (3k8)**
Above the Artificial Academy Island.
The originally peaceful night sky was suddenly torn open as if by a pair of invisible giant hands, leaving a massive gap.
The light emanating from the fissure spread like ripples across a cracked water surface, continuously showering down fragments that reflected bright light.
At the fissure, an infinite void gradually formed.
The void was not dark but rather a strange realm interwoven with light and shadow.
Deep within, it appeared to consist of countless reflective surfaces, like a vast maze made of mirrors, dazzling light reflecting off innumerable mirrors, refracting into layers upon layers of kaleidoscopes.
The mirrors spun and expanded in the air, converging into vibrant halos of light, like the most dazzling gems in the universe rotating, refracting endless brilliance.
Meanwhile, in the command room of District 1 of Ark Academy.
The president sitting at the main control panel caught a fleeting wave signal with sharp eyes.
The instruments had detected the pulse of the realm unfolding.
But it lasted barely a second before vanishing, returning everything to calm.
It was as if the machine had suddenly malfunctioned.
However, the president’s eyes widened, bloodshot pupils fixating intently on the fleeting waveform.
That was not a singular realm.
In that brief instant, all the detection instruments on the Artificial Academy Island captured at least four different realms, with the waveforms drawing lines that nearly broke through the borders in that frame.
In the command room.
Besides the president, the other attendants at the control panel exchanged blank stares, completely bewildered.
Such a brief yet intense reaction indeed resembled a machine malfunction.
But the president’s reaction made them highly tense.
The person who had always remained calm, even in the face of a Class 10 extraordinary disaster, was now slightly trembling at the main control panel.
Because he recognized it.
That familiar realm waveform.
“…They’ve returned, they’ve all returned.” The president could hardly contain his excitement, murmuring to himself.
“What, what?” The other attendants looked at each other, seemingly unaware of what the president was expressing.
Until one attendant inadvertently caught a glimpse of another monitor out of the corner of his eye.
It was a light imaging surveillance device.
“Th-this is—!?” He exclaimed in surprise.
Above Ark Academy.
Countless mirrors intermingled into a dazzling brilliance, the interplay between mirrors reflecting countless flowing stars, as if numerous galaxies were converging in that moment.
At that instant, the world and the sky, the real and the unreal, the light and the dark seemed to merge into one.
That vast void, like a web woven from magic and stars, was consuming everything, carrying endless splendor and mystery, signaling an epic transformation—the once glorious era was making a comeback.
—————–
“Impossible… This is Shoko’s…”
Maria’s full-force strike turned everything around, including Garuda, into scorched earth.
Standing on the charred plain, she noticed the emerald green light cascading down from above.
As she looked up towards the source of the light, her eyes hidden beneath the blood-red armor widened in shock.
What she saw was a fantastical scene of a night sky intersecting with mirrors.
It was a familiar sight she hadn’t seen in over a decade.
Maria had thought she would never have the chance to witness this scene again.
She tremblingly raised her blood-red arm, reaching toward the mirrored starry sky above.
“…I’m glad I made it—”
An emerald green radiance landed where Garuda had just fallen.
Garuda said faintly.
Accompanied by this whisper, endless magic began to descend from the sky, gathering at the location of Garuda.
Instinctive danger warnings made Maria turn her head in heightened alert, ignoring the mirrored starry sky before her—
“Crimson, you’ve had your fun, right? Now it’s my turn.”
The petite body of Garuda, pressed beneath the scorched earth, unleashed radiant beams of magical power.
The next moment, thunder rumbled, and the clouds in the sky sagged low.
The storm that had just ceased rolled back with shocking momentum.
Winds howled, air appeared to be torn apart by an invisible force, and all sounds in the world were swallowed by this oppressive sensation.
Just then, a silent whirlwind started to rise from the ground, a mix of dust and debris swirling together, and the place where Garuda was located began to violently twist, rapidly ascending towards the sky.
This tornado was not an ordinary storm; it shot up from the ground in an instant, with immense spiraling air currents lifting everything around it.
Wind blades howled, striking the ground like tearing steel, the sharp sounds of the airflow resonating in the air.
**[Domain of the Storm]**
The tornado, with an irresistible force, stirred the earth’s breath, the edge of the storm flickering with emerald green and gray lightning, as if the world’s border was being violently torn apart by intense energy.
At the center of this storm, strange brilliance began to emerge, the core of the storm growing ever brighter, as if a massive life force was awakening within the swirling air currents.
The airflow converged into a colossal vortex, and from the depths of that vortex, a golden light suddenly burst forth.
In the light faintly reflected a massive grand silhouette, it was a gigantic bird-like outline, with wings spread wide like mountains, feathers gleaming with emerald green and silver, as if each feather were embedded with stars, yet its entirety was forever shrouded in thick dark clouds.
Garuda soared out of the storm, massive wings flapping, summoning thunderous currents that tore apart the sky and stirred the clouds.
Garuda, with its back to the constantly shifting mirrors and stars in the night sky, possessed crimson eyes like the red moon overhead, clear yet deep, penetrating the dark clouds and gazing down upon the world beneath, radiating an undeniable majesty and power.
Each of its movements accompanied by tremors of the world, with lightning crashing and storms growing fiercer.
The lord of storms, the sovereign of heaven and earth, the god of wings—
A thunderbolt traversing the skies and the earth—
The embodiment of nature and balance, the eternal bridge connecting all things—
Fantasy monster – Garuda.
The power amongst the Ten Divinity Pillars.
Divine rank.
Threat level 10.
—————–
“What exactly happened—” Inonoru felt the magic fluctuations from afar strong enough to shake the world, his eyes fixed on the fantastical night sky woven from mirrors and starry skies, he couldn’t help but murmur.
Just before the realm of mirrors enveloped the Artificial Academy Island.
Having obtained the authority of the Thunder of the Sky, he simultaneously unfolded his realm, taking Chimera away at the fastest speed possible from the Artificial Academy Island.
It had to be said that this decision was very timely and correct.
Because if he had been even half a second late, he would have been caught up in that realm of mirrors.
However, besides Inonoru, two others had not been illuminated by that mirrored starry sky.
Under the bright moonlight.
Illuminating the struggling azure dragon within the massive jaws at the tip of Chimera’s tail.
And in that brief moment, Sō had displayed astounding reflexes and agility, managing to grasp the scale beneath Chimera’s foot.
The desire to save the azure dragon compelled Sō to squeeze out the last remnants of his strength to follow up.
“Tsk, this guy is truly a nuisance—” Inonoru looked down discontentedly at Sō, who was tightly gripping the scale with one hand.
At the same time, he regretfully glanced back towards the direction of Ark Academy.
—It’s a pity that the leading lady of my life didn’t make it out…
—In that terrifying realm, probably no one could survive, right? Truly… it serves her right, if only I had let her absorb and merge earlier, this wouldn’t have happened.
—Although I didn’t obtain the black box, since I have gained the authority of the Thunder of the Sky, I could consider my mission accomplished~
—It would be great if Crimson Maria could die on this island, then I could easily write this mission report~
“Ahhh, it’s so annoying, why can’t they all just act according to my wishes?”
Having grasped the domain of Thunder of the Sky, Inonoru, having narrowly escaped a disaster, became somewhat arrogant—
“You agree, right, my esteemed Senpai Tsukimi~”
“…Inonoru… Why are you…”
Sō slowly raised his head with great effort and faintly asked.
Just grasping the cold scale in his hand had drained all his strength.
And at this moment, letting go would mean doom, as the silver moonlit ocean below already told Sō the answer.
The cold sea water would surely take his life.
“…What an incorrigible good person you are, Tsukimi Sō, your selfless kindness is utterly meaningless in this real world—”
Inonoru revealed a sinister smile, as if declaring his victory.
“In this world, it is survival of the fittest—” Inonoru turned his back to the moonlight, spreading his arms as if to showcase Chimera beneath him.
“This wisdom has been accumulated by nature over thousands, even millions of years—”
“The existence of others is ultimately just tools and consumables—”
“Sacrificing one’s own benefits to help others is simply foolish!”
“Ahhh, just like that rude woman, and that foolish woman—”
The surge of expression when achieving victory prompted Inonoru to keep speaking.
And the only two listeners at the scene, the azure dragon had already fainted from Chimera’s absorption, while Sō remained silent throughout.
“How boring~”
Inonoru found Sō’s reaction utterly uninteresting.
At this celebratory moment, he wanted to hear more sorrowful expressions and cries from the defeated, as cheers for his victory—
“By the way, let me send you to meet your favorite senior, Konomi, shall I?”
“!? Wha… What? You… know where Konomi is…”
“Ahhh, of course I know—”
Inonoru gazed with satisfaction at the rekindled hope on Sō’s face, which was what he wanted to see, for only those who hold hope can experience a colder despair—
“—Because I’m the one who tortured her to death.”
“Wh-”
“You two annoying childhood friends will meet again in the depths of hell—”
—————–
“Impossible… This is authority… the authority of the Elemental Sovereign!? Why can you use it?!” Nanjou stared in horror at the scene before her.
A starry sky composed of countless mirrors.
That was one of the most famous domains of the Elemental Sovereign.
The vista was completely beyond Nanjou’s expectations.
She had never heard of any plan capable of achieving this.
“Wh-what organization have you been cultivated by?!” Nanjou frantically questioned as she took a step back.
“Is it the Moon Academy?! Have those madmen’s plans finally succeeded?!”
“No, wait, if they really managed to create a complete entity like you, they wouldn’t come to Ark Academy for academic exchange anymore—”
“Is it the Special Ring SEMA?! Have they succeeded in ‘reviving’ the Elemental Sovereign?!”
“Or is it the Star Academy… or that hypocritical Sun Academy…?” Nanjou continuously probed for the other party’s reaction.
Meanwhile, Naginoya’s expression remained very calm throughout.
Until Nanjou slowly quieted down from her frenzy.
Naginoya spoke:
“How did the Elemental Sovereign die?”
“Eh?”
“His death—what relation does it have with the Three Great Academies and Special Ring SEMA?”
“Y-you are…”
“Answer me with everything you know—”
“—Hahaha!!” Nanjou’s laughter interrupted Naginoya’s childish voice.
“…As I thought, you’re just an imposter! Just a slightly more complete version of an imposter!” Nanjou concluded as she looked at Naginoya’s reaction.
—Just another imposter created by some unknown plan.
—Like the unfinished products from other plans she had seen, madly pursuing memories that do not exist.
—I nearly thought she was truly the Elemental Sovereign…
—Clearly the Elemental Sovereign is a man, how could it be this frail little girl before me?
With this thought, Nanjou gathered her magic power within.
Her star eyes flickered.
Shadows beneath her feet transformed into countless shadow blades, mixed with fierce winds and lightning, launching towards Naginoya.
Yet the latter, showing a complete lack of concern, did not even move a step.
“Star Eyes… where did you obtain that ability?”
With a mere glance, Naginoya observed the incoming attack.
The space before her suddenly folded and transformed into mirror-like flowers, delicate as snowflakes.
The attack was absorbed into the mirror, imparting a layer of magical radiance to it.
“Wh-!?”
Before Nanjou could react, a number of new “mirror flowers” folded out from behind her.
From those multiple mirror flowers, attacks reflecting the exact power and form of the absorbed attack surged forth.
