Chapter: 33. The Only Descent
Tick-tock—tick-tock—
“I found it…” He sensed the desire of another version of himself in a different world line, wanting to change the world line once again.
Among countless possibilities, he successfully located that foolish, obstinate self.
……
……
In the midst of the storm.
Suspended high in the air, Nagi watched the battlefield below.
When she saw the intruder who had infiltrated the research institute leave through the Mist Authority, she already guessed that there had to be involvement from DD and Alice behind this.
Although she still didn’t know what their purpose was.
But if Tenjō Shōkō were taken by them, things could become troublesome.
After all, she was eager to retrieve the fragments of the End within his soul.
“Delay it… do not harm it.” Nagi gently ordered the two fantasy monsters below.
Even if DD had mastered the powers of “artificial fantasy monsters” and “mist,” it did not mean it could simultaneously deal with two fantasy monsters of the new era.
Then, Nagi pursued the star-shaped machine that had escaped the storm—
The “masked shadow” fantasy monster that hovered alongside her cloaked her appearance with shadows to conceal her identity.
Otherwise, it would be hard for Nagi to explain why a newcomer who had not yet awakened any powers would suddenly appear in such a situation.
“I found it.” Bursting out of the storm, the dim, lightless night sky came into view.
The magical glow emanating from the star-shaped machine’s engine stood out conspicuously amidst the darkness.
It was a sign that it was about to activate its space-folding ability.
“I’m sorry, I can’t let you take him—” Locking onto the target, Nagi shot a glance at the “masked shadow” next to her.
The latter immediately extended numerous tentacles made of shadows from under its wide cloak and approached the star-shaped machine with incredible speed.
Nagi’s plan was simple.
All she needed to do was take down the star-shaped machine, then the esper from the Star Academy who arrived afterward would be able to find the professor who had narrowly escaped from the sea below.
As the tentacles tore through the night sky with remarkable momentum, only a few meters remained before they reached the engine of the star-shaped machine—
At that moment.
Nagi suddenly realized something was off.
Tonight… it should have been a night where the bright moon and stars could be seen.
She suddenly looked up at the sky shrouded in darkness.
For Nagi, this scene was both familiar and foreign.
In her previous life, she had watched this scene over and over— a sky ruled by boundless darkness.
However, in the two lives between this one and her last, she had never witnessed this scene with her own eyes.
Because this represented—
“Kanade, hurry and escape—” Nagi frantically turned her head toward the direction of the Star Academy.
Tick-tock—tick—clack—
The sound of the activation of the Kaurar Box suddenly echoed in Nagi’s ears.
However, unlike before, the Kaurar Box produced a sound similar to gears getting stuck at the end.
This indicated that the possibilities of this world line had been locked.
No more retracing the world line—
He had arrived.
His figure had not yet appeared.
Two bolts of black lightning suddenly struck down from the night sky, one aimed at the Star Academy and the other targeting the suspended Nagi.
“—Take the master to a safe place.”
Suddenly, a purple-black star seemed to resist the endless darkness, rising prominently in the night sky.
The voice of the End Nagi echoed through the purple-black starlight, conveying words to the fantasy monsters present.
“My apologies.” Upon hearing this, the masked shadow instantly retracted its shadowy tentacles, turning to protect Nagi in its embrace.
The black lightning instantly pierced through the barrier created by the shadow, but just before it struck Nagi’s body, the fantasy monster and she exchanged places through shadows, allowing the monster to take the fatal hit in her stead.
Immediately following, a giant bird made of lightning burst forth from the storm behind, catching the falling Nagi.
At the same time, it released a pale thunder, illuminating the pitch-black sky with its blinding light.
In the next moment, its body shook violently, transforming into a streak of broken skylight—taking Nagi with it and disappearing from the spot.
Also completing the “flash” was the star-shaped machine carrying Professor Tenjō.
Due to the fantasy monster’s attack being redirected, its time-space abilities had not been hindered.
Newborn Star would successfully take Professor Tenjō away.
—————–
And on the other side.
Tick-tock—tick—clack—
When Kanade’s consciousness arrived at the Kaurar Box, he found that this familiar space had changed.
The infinite white was now shrouded in endless darkness.
“What is…?”
Seeing this, Kanade couldn’t help but furrow his brow; it was the first time he had seen such a change in the Kaurar Box.
He couldn’t even distinguish whether the black flame that had been floating in the center of the pure white space was still in the same place.
Looking down.
The circular tree diagram composed of black fire that had lined the ground was now unrecognizable—
Kanade tried to crouch down and reach out to touch the diagram that should have been there.
But the sensation coming from his palm felt as if something was separating him from the world line that represented “countless possibilities.”
He could not glimpse any possibilities from other world lines.
Naturally, he could not retrace the world line itself.
“What exactly is—” Kanade stood up cautiously, trying to summon the Blade of Life.
—Has someone invaded the Kaurar Box?
As the brightly colored fantasy weapon was tightly gripped in his hand, the light on the blade couldn’t disperse the endless darkness.
Kanade felt it once more.
The feeling of being isolated from the entire world.
At this moment, it was as if he had been cut off from the world he was familiar with—
【Warning】
A familiar voice echoed in Kanade’s mind again.
At this point, Kanade remembered that he had heard such a warning before.
【The unique has already locked this world line】
【Warning】
【The authority to retrace the world line has been disabled】
【Warning】
……
……
Kanade felt his consciousness being abruptly pulled out of the Kaurar Box.
In the next instant.
A bolt of pitch-black lightning struck his physical body.
It sent him flying, crashing into the ruins of the collapsed main teaching building.
Not only was Kanade’s consciousness forced back from the Kaurar Box to reality.
The magical power within him was also instantly drained, as if that black lightning had taken all his magic away.
This totally unexpected turn of events left Alice stunned.
Before she could even worry about Kanade, the former ace Akira—Crimson Maria suddenly appeared beside Alice.
“Alice, now’s your chance, hurry and go.” Maria reached out to help Alice, who was kneeling on the ground.
Although Maria also didn’t know what had just happened, it was evident that the black lightning had severely injured this unstoppable S-rank, buying them a chance to escape.
……
……
Meanwhile.
High above.
“Two holders of the Kaurar Box? How is that possible…”
The descending unique emitted a puzzled voice.
The black lightning would automatically lock onto the holders of the Kaurar Box in this world, allowing it to know their locations and directly prevent their Kaurar Box abilities—
Yet, it was the first time it encountered a situation where two bolts of lightning were triggered simultaneously, each pointing to different locations.
Because this meant… there were two Kaurar Boxes in this world line.
An “uniquely attributed” extraordinary item existing twice in one world line?
“…Interesting, I trust you can explain to me how this is possible, End—miss, so this world line’s you is actually a girl?”
The unique revealed a confident smile and turned to look behind.
There stood the figure of End Nagi.
