Chapter 7: At the End of Loop

────.

──Suddenly, he realized.

“…?”

Before he knew it, Glenn was standing in an unfamiliar world.

An endless expanse of grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see, with distant mountains lining the horizon.

Ahead, a gently winding road extended toward the edge of the world.

At his feet, a cute puppy with golden fur nuzzled close to him affectionately.

On his shoulder, a squirrel with sleepy, lapis-blue eyes clung to him as if holding on for dear life.

A little further down the road, a kitten with pure white fur sat primly, as if guiding Glenn, turning back to look at him with a haughty expression.

And when he looked up, an infinite sky stretched above──

“…Where the heck am I…?”

Glenn muttered to no one in particular, exasperated.

“This is your mental world, Glenn.”

A voice suddenly spoke from behind, and Glenn turned around.

There stood Nameless.

“The boundary between dream and reality, the divide between consciousness and unconsciousness─this is your domain. A world born from the landscape of your mind, detached from the flow of time in the outside world… your own unique world. Though, it seems someone else’s consciousness is mixed in a little right now.”

Nameless’s gaze slid sideways.

There, the white-furred kitten stared at them, as if it had something to say.

“When you show up, it’s like anything goes, huh, Nameless?”

What the heck is this girl, anyway? Glenn sighed in exasperation.

“Anyway, it seems you’ve finally reached the truth, Glenn.”

“…You saw?”

Glenn responded gravely to Nameless’s opening words.

“Yes, I saw. Le Kill… that child is the cause of this closed week.”

“That child?”

The odd phrasing made Glenn tilt his head, but now wasn’t the time for that.

“The Le Kill that’s gone out of control no longer has any rationality. It’s merely a phenomenon, obsessively clinging to Ellen, only capable of thinking within the extension of the orders it was given. In other words──”

“An existence that mechanically repeats this one week… is that it?”

“Exactly. Unfortunately so.”

Nameless let out a weary sigh, tinged with a trace of sorrow.

“Naturally, you have to break free from this repetition. You have to defeat Le Kill. For the sake of your own past and future.”

“Defeat Le Kill? Hah, how? Time manipulation? The wind of destruction? Are you kidding me?”

“The current Le Kill doesn’t have the power it once did. Its time manipulation ability is limited to repeating this predetermined week. The only troublesome thing is the wind of destruction stirred up by those wings.”

“Yeah, and that’s what makes it hopeless, isn’t it?”

Glenn said, thoroughly fed up.

Indeed, the wind of destruction could be said to exploit the blind spot of all defensive spells.

No matter the magical barrier or enchanted defense, they fundamentally rely on “blocking” and “strengthening”… Defense itself can never avoid coming into contact with an opponent’s attack.

The wind of destruction is the ultimate attack that obliterates the very foundation of such defenses.

Then, Nameless responded matter-of-factly.

“Let me tell you something. Did you know that time always carries the ‘concept’ of destruction within it?”

“Yeah, I know that…”

After all, no material in this world is immune to deterioration over time. No matter how invincible or immortal a being may seem, they will eventually succumb to the vast flow of time, decaying and perishing.

“That child’s current power materializes the ‘concept’ of destruction inherent in time as infinitesimal fundamental particles─the third imaginary mass substance《Ruin》─through its wings, sending them riding on the wind. That’s all it is. Because it carries the concept of destruction, the time from the generation to the collapse of《Ruin》is extremely short.”

“…So, if I can avoid touching the freshly generated wind, I’m good?”

“Exactly. Unlike before, it no longer has the power to freely manipulate time or launch unavoidable attacks by targeting the near past. You can rest easy.”

“W-What do you mean, attacking the near past…? Like, attacking the past to create a present where I’ve been attacked? Is that even possible?”

“Glenn, I’m sure you can come up with a countermeasure.”

To Glenn, whose face twitched, Nameless spoke as if pleading.

“The reason I’ve appeared before you again… I think you can guess.”

“Yeah, we’re at the limit, aren’t we?”

“Yes, most likely in the next repetition, the spacetime you exist in will be torn apart. When that happens, it won’t matter if Le Kill rewinds time or not. Your world will no longer lead anywhere. It’ll become a completely closed week, repeating eternally.”

“…Damn, that’s heavy…”

“Defeat Le Kill. Destroy that clock completely, and seize your future.”

At that moment, a faint trace of moisture crept into Nameless’s voice.

“Fortunately, that child is now just a clock. It can only execute preprogrammed functions and orders. Its overwhelming time manipulation ability, which you can’t handle, is now limited solely to the loop function… You’re not entirely without a chance to win.”

“…Nameless?”

“At the very least… please… set that child free… I beg you.”

Nameless’s attitude and words made Glenn feel something nagging at him.

“As I thought… you know something about that Le Kill, don’t you?”

“Who knows?”

Without answering, Nameless turned her back on Glenn.

“…Please, Glenn… I’m begging you…”

“…I’ll do what I can.”

When Glenn responded to Nameless’s plea, his world began to glow white.

Pure white, pure white──

And then──

────.

“─Sen… sei! Sen… sei! Sensei! Sensei! Huh?”

“…”

Glenn returned to the first day once again.

It was the usual classroom.

As always, Rumia and Re=L were there, along with the other students.

And beside him, as always, was Sistine…

“Oh, you were awake? I didn’t notice, haha…”

Sistine gave an awkward, polite smile.

“… …”

For some reason, Sistine kept glancing at her own hand, then at Glenn, comparing them… but honestly, that was the least of his concerns.

Ignoring Sistine’s slightly odd behavior, Glenn desperately racked his brain.

(Whether I cry or laugh, this seven-day cycle is my last chance…)

No matter what, he had to defeat Le Kill this time and escape the loop. Otherwise, this world would become a closed one, eternally repeating this one week.

He’d made a bold promise to Nameless, but honestly, the burden was immense.

(Is the rule about disclosing loop information to a third party still in effect? Le Kill is no longer under Gaysorn’s control, and the situation has changed. Maybe…)

No, that wouldn’t do. He couldn’t cling to wishful thinking and take reckless risks.

If the rule was still active, the moment he revealed the loop to someone, the next repetition would begin, and everything would end. The world would be sealed in this week forever.

Normally, Glenn had plenty of reliable allies─Sistine, Rumia, Re=L, Celica… and, well, maybe Eve. Not being able to rely on them was painfully limiting.

(That wind of destruction from Le Kill… I thought it was an invincible power with no counter, but that’s not entirely true… There’s a way to deal with it… or rather, there’s someone perfect for countering Le Kill.)

Glenn glanced up at Sistine, standing beside him, as if clinging to hope.

“…Um? Sensei, is something wrong? Is there something on my face?”

Sistine blinked, meeting Glenn’s gaze.

“…It’s nothing.”

But Glenn couldn’t speak. If he did, Sistine would die. And everything would end.

He absolutely couldn’t rely on her strength, no matter how dependable she was.

“Ugh, damn it… What the heck am I supposed to do!? At this rate──!”

As Glenn clutched his head and slumped onto the desk, it happened.

Sistine, who had been staring at him intently, suddenly muttered under her breath.

“As I thought… Sensei, you’re fighting something, aren’t you…?”

“Huh?”

“I thought it was just a daydream, but… seeing you like this, it doesn’t seem that way. I don’t understand the logic at all, but…”

“What? H-Hey, White Cat? Daydream? What are you talking about…?”

In all the previous loops, Sistine had never said anything this cryptic.

In this final loop, yet another unexpected development threw Glenn off balance.

“Sensei… can we talk for a moment?”

Sistine suddenly took Glenn’s hand and began pulling him along.

“H-Hey…?”

“Let’s have a little chat.”

And so, under the stunned gazes of Rumia, Re=L, and the rest of Class 2, Glenn was dragged out of the classroom by Sistine.

(…What’s going on? What the heck is happening with this development…)

Faced with an entirely new turn of events at this critical moment, Glenn could only feel bewildered.

“…Alright, this should be fine, right?”

The place Sistine led him to was a quiet, desolate backyard.

“Jeez, what’s this all about? I’m busy, so make it quick──”

Then, Sistine, seeming bewildered herself, said something unexpected.

“Um, actually… just a moment ago, when I was trying to wake you up… I had a dream.”

“!?”

“A daydream, you could say… Anyway, for just a fleeting moment, I saw a dream where you were fighting some terrifying enemy.”

Glenn’s eyes widened in shock at Sistine’s words.

“In that dream, there was an old friend of mine, someone very dear… You were trying to save her, but… you couldn’t… and then…”

(What’s going on!? Does she retain some memories from the last loop!? Could it be because she was with me until the very end…!?)

The logic wasn’t clear.

After all, even the reason Glenn retained memories across loops was a mystery.

“It was an incredibly vivid dream. So real that it didn’t feel like a dream at all. I’m certain, deep down, that we can’t ignore that monstrous creature.”

Sistine likely realized how nonsensical her words sounded.

Her expression was filled with deep confusion and unease. Normally, she’d never make such baseless, almost embarrassingly outlandish statements.

But something within her had spurred her to act. Casting aside pride, shame, and appearances, it drove her to face what she had to do, what she must do.

“Because I remember! In my hand… I can still feel it! The sensation of your hand, holding mine until the very end in that dream, is so clear… I just can’t believe it was merely a dream or an illusion!”

“Y-You…”

As Glenn struggled to hide his shock, Sistine, seeing his expression, spoke as if confirming something.

“You might laugh and call me foolish. But… right now, I feel like I have to help you, no matter what. It’s not about logic─my soul is screaming it, so strongly.”

“…”

“Sensei, are you hiding something from me right now?”

“…”

“If you are… if this isn’t just my silly misunderstanding… please, tell me what you’re carrying. Let me help you.”

Sistine’s earnest, pleading gaze met Glenn’s directly.

But Glenn let out a sigh, scratched his head awkwardly, and looked away.

He could only stay silent. He had to stay silent.

It was astonishing that Sistine had inherited fragments of the previous loop’s memories… but in the end, Glenn couldn’t explain. He couldn’t borrow her strength.

(Le Kill… a fallen divine kin… There is a countermeasure, actually…)

Yes, it was Sistine. With her power, there was a chance to counter Le Kill.

It had to be Sistine─not Rumia, not Re=L, not Celica.

It had to be Sistine.

But the current Sistine wasn’t ready. For her to counter Le Kill with her power, she needed to do something specific.

However, that was an impossibly high hurdle.

Without explaining the full situation, there was no way forward.

Even if he could explain, whether Sistine would accept it was another question…

(Damn it… I have no choice but to figure out a way to defeat Le Kill on my own…)

As Glenn steeled himself with grim resolve, grinding his teeth… it happened.

“…Alright. You don’t have to say anything.”

Sistine muttered softly.

Well, that made sense. She’d approached Glenn so earnestly, with such sincerity, despite having no proof, only to be met with silence and a cold attitude. Anyone would give up in that situation.

Glenn felt like an abandoned puppy.

But this was fine. It had to be fine. This was a battle he’d always known he couldn’t rely on anyone for.

As Glenn turned away from Sistine, feeling a pang of loneliness… it happened.

“…So? What exactly do I need to do?”

Sistine’s utterly unexpected words struck Glenn’s back like a hammer.

“Huh?”

Glenn instinctively turned around, staring at Sistine’s face.

He’d expected her to be irritated by his silence, but instead, Sistine was smiling.

Her eyes, filled with boundless trust, gazed at him gently.

“What do you mean, ‘what do I do’…? I haven’t told you anything…”

“Sensei, you’re a terrible liar. That face of yours just confirmed that something’s definitely going on. And… I’m sure it’s connected to that dream.”

“!”

“You won’t tell me anything… Sure, the old me would’ve sulked, whining about being left out and blaming my own shortcomings. But, Sensei, you acknowledged me recently, didn’t you? You called me a ‘comrade you can entrust your back to.’”

“…!”

“So, it’s obvious. You’re not choosing not to tell me─you can’t. I have no idea why, though.”

“W-White Cat… you…”

Suddenly, Sistine’s cheeks flushed, and she turned away. Twirling a strand of her long silver hair around her finger, she mumbled under her breath.

“W-Well… how do I put it… I trust you enough to understand that much… or rather, I believe in you… ugh, fine! That’s what I mean, so figure it out!”

And then, she abruptly snapped at him.

Glenn could only blink in confusion.

“So? What do I need to do?”

“Uh… well…”

Though thrown off by Sistine’s behavior, Glenn calmly began to calculate what he should ask of her. The conclusion he reached, however, was the worst possible request.

But at this point, there was no other choice.

“Sistine… withdraw from the selection tournament.”

“!”

For a moment, Sistine’s eyes widened in shock.

But that moment of stiffness was truly brief.

“…Yes, understood. I’ll withdraw.”

The next instant, Sistine nodded firmly, without a trace of hesitation.

Glenn, who had braced himself for a slap, was so stunned by her immediate agreement that he nearly collapsed on the spot.

“Wha──!? What are you saying!?”

“No, that’s my line…”

Sistine shot Glenn a half-lidded glare.

“You want to be the Main Wizard, don’t you!? You know how important the selection tournament is to you, don’t you!?”

“Actually, I’m more curious about how you know how determined I am…”

“So why!? I haven’t explained anything, and the request is absurd… Why do you trust me so much!?”

Completely baffled, Glenn pressed her for an answer.

“Because it’s you, Sensei. …Isn’t that enough?”

“…!?”

Stunned and overwhelmed by his student’s simple declaration, Glenn could only stand there, dumbfounded.

“Or what? Are you saying you’re the kind of lowlife who’d ruin my chance at the selection tournament for some trivial, meaningless reason?”

Sistine peeked up at Glenn’s face with a mischievous, teasing smile.

“N-No… even I’m not that bad…”

“Exactly. Then that’s good enough, isn’t it?”

Sistine smiled at Glenn, her expression radiant with boundless trust.

It was──dazzlingly, precious.

Undoubtedly, it was a one-of-a-kind smile, unique in this world──

(What’s this…? I used to see traces of Sera in her all the time… but lately, I haven’t seen Sera in her at all. Why is that?)

As Glenn vaguely pondered such thoughts,

“Come on, Sensei! Hurry up! What am I supposed to do next!?”

Pulled along by the spirited Sistine, he was led forward.

In a dreamlike daze, Glenn followed after Sistine.

Thus, the final selection began.

However, Sistine was nowhere to be seen at this selection.

And neither was Ellen.

“Still, this selection… the level is truly exceptional!”

On the fourth day, the third trial began—an All-Out Magic Duel battle.

Watching the heated matches of the representative candidates from the VIP seats of the magic arena, Lord Edward exclaimed with delight.

“As expected, Her Majesty’s policies were correct! To witness so many outstanding youths, who will carry the empire’s future, gathered in such a scene… this Lord Edward is utterly moved!”

Smiling, Headmaster Rona of St. Lily responded.

“Hehe, indeed… and as expected, Alzano Academy has gathered particularly exceptional individuals. Rize Filmer, Jaill Wolfart, Gibul Wisdan stand out… and that Maria Luther, for a first-year, is quite impressive…”

“Oh, no, St. Lily is not to be outdone! Colette Frieda, Francine Ekaterina, Ginny Kisaragi… they are talents with promising futures.”

Rick, Headmaster of Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, returned the compliment, praising the St. Lily group.

“Hehe, thank you. Truthfully, I wanted to have a girl named Elsa Virif participate as well… but she was actually scouted by the military…”

“What! By the military!? That’s an honor! Congratulations!”

“However… among such students, Levin Kleitos from Kleitos Academy truly stands head and shoulders above the rest… what a formidable young man.”

“Indeed. It seems the main wizard position will come down to a duel between Levin Kleitos and Rize Filmer, wouldn’t you say, Lord Gaysorn? …Lord Gaysorn?”

Lord Edward called out to Gaysorn, Headmaster of Kleitos Academy, but…

“Why… why did the crown suddenly vanish…? Without it… damn it… at this rate, our proud Kleitos will fall to that Levin… and where in the world is Ellen…?”

Gaysorn, pale-faced, muttered to himself.

Before such a Gaysorn, Lord Edward, Rick, and Rona exchanged puzzled glances.

“Ahem! By the way… there’s something that concerns me…”

To clear the awkward air, Lord Edward spoke up.

“I believe there was a Sistine Fibel, the top prospect for this selection… where has she gone? I don’t seem to see her anywhere…?”

“Well… she suddenly withdrew from the selection, my lord.”

“What!?”

To Rick’s apologetic reply, Lord Edward bristled with indignation.

“How lamentable! To throw away the chance to compete in the Magic Festival! Does she not understand that this is a vital and noble duty to uphold the empire’s honor and glory!?”

“I’ve heard whispers about that as well,” Rona interjected.

“According to rumors among the candidate students… it seems that student has been holed up in the library from morning to night with a certain magic instructor, conducting some kind of magical research.”

“Grr! Studying diligently is fine, but there’s a time and place for it!”

Lord Edward’s stubborn anger only grew.

“Utterly deplorable, the youth of today! Back in our day, it wasn’t like this! Everyone, always, thought of what they could do for the motherland, even sacrificing themselves at times—”

Rick stepped in to soothe Lord Edward.

“Now, now, Lord Edward. Surely there’s some reason behind it. Besides, that magic instructor… you must know him, our academy’s hero.”

“What!? You don’t mean the one who saved not only Fejite but also Her Majesty!?”

Hearing this, Lord Edward’s eyes widened, and he fell speechless.

“Yes. For someone like him to take actions that might seem disrespectful or insolent… there must be some unavoidable reason.”

With a confident expression, Rick spoke calmly.

“In any case, this won’t lead to anything bad for the empire’s future. Please, just this once, with the magnanimity of an elder, forgive their youthful indiscretions.”

“Mmm…”

Lord Edward, unable to say more, merely groaned with a complicated expression.

And so—time flew by.

—The seventh day.

On the final day, the mock magic battles grew even more intense at the magic arena.

Feeling the distant clamor faintly, Ellen gazed absently at Fejite’s cityscape, burning in the twilight, from the rooftop of the magic academy.

The sun… was setting. Slowly sinking.

By the time that sun fully set, the selection would conclude, and the representative announcement would take place at the academy arena.

And—with that announcement as the starting point, everything would reset.

For Ellen, who could no longer do anything, there was only despair.

“Don’t cry, Ellen…”

Le Kill held Ellen from behind.

In Le Kill’s palm, the crown spun, brimming with magical energy… the control of Le Kill’s clock was now entirely in her hands.

“Let’s repeat together. It’s okay… there’s nothing to fear… if we keep repeating, someday, we’ll meet that person… so, let’s repeat together…”

“No…”

Ellen knew, but the monster possessing her was already utterly broken. No conversation could be had. And now, Ellen had no choice but to obey this monster.

Ellen glanced at the magic arena in the distance.

That arena, filled with hope and vitality for the future.

She had completely shut off that future.

The hope it pointed to no longer existed anywhere—

“I’m sorry…”

The words that slipped from her mouth were nothing but regret.

Could she only blame her grandfather, Gaysorn?

Deep down, she couldn’t deny that part of her had wanted to seize a glorious future and honor through such underhanded means.

With her selfish desires, she had stolen the future of everyone here.

In the endlessly repeating week to come, all Ellen could do was apologize. Forever.

“I’m sorry, everyone… I’m sorry, Sistine…! I—…”

Clinging to the iron railing, Ellen faced the burning twilight, shedding tears and repeating apologies… when it happened.

Clank… the sound of the door opening behind her. The presence of someone slowly stepping onto the rooftop.

Ellen turned around weakly.

As expected, there stood Glenn, whom she had faced countless times in the repeating week.

And the other person was—

—Wow, amazing, amazing! Sistie, you’re incredible!

—You can already use magic like that! That’s so cool!

—Sistie, you’re the same age as me, but you’re really amazing! I’m jealous!

—If I work hard… maybe someday I can be like Sistie…?

—Thank you! I’ll do my best! Yeah, I’ll definitely work hard! I’ll become an amazing mage like Leos-niisan or Sistie!

—So, when that time comes—let’s meet again, Sistie…

“…What’s wrong? You okay?”

Glenn’s concerned words snapped Sistine back to reality.

Her consciousness, wandering through days gone by, returned to the present.

Before Sistine stood the door leading to the rooftop.

“You tired? Sorry, I’ve been pushing you pretty hard lately…”

“No, I’m fine. I was just… remembering the past a little.”

Shaking her head lightly, Sistine steeled herself.

“…Let’s go, Sensei.”

“Yeah.”

Clank… Glenn slowly pushed open the rooftop door.

The vast rooftop, ablaze in the radiant sunset, seared their eyes with its intensity.

“Wah—!?”

A gust of wind whipped Sistine’s hair and rustled her clothes.

Hastily pressing down her skirt, Sistine fixed her gaze forward.

A grotesque, monstrous creature clung to the back of a certain girl.

“Just like in that dream… that horrific monster… and…”

Sistine locked eyes with the girl possessed by the monster.

“…It’s been a while, Ellen. I’ve come to save you.”

Ellen didn’t respond, only averting her gaze awkwardly.

“Since Sensei hasn’t told me anything, I don’t know the details. All I’ve been told is that you’re in danger and that we need to defeat that monster.”

“…”

“Wait for me, Ellen. I’ll take down that monster right now. With Sensei.”

At that, Ellen’s lips trembled as she spoke.

“Why, Sistine… why are you here?”

“Why…?”

“You’re supposed to be competing in the selection right now! So why…? Why would you abandon something as important as the selection and come here!? For you, who’s chasing your grandfather’s legacy, this selection should be irreplaceable—!”

“…”

To Ellen’s anguished cry, Sistine only responded with silence.

Ellen continued, pleading.

“I said such cruel things to you… I hurt you… so why…?”

“Sorry, Ellen. To be honest… I don’t understand what you mean at all. Because, right now, this moment, is truly our first reunion in a long time.”

Not fully grasping the situation, Sistine scratched her head in confusion.

“It seems like a lot happened that I don’t know about. But, ‘you’re in danger’… that alone is more than enough reason for me to be standing here. Got it?”

“But why!? Why would you come to save someone like me—!?”

“Because we’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Ah…”

Sistine’s words were like gospel to Ellen.

Over thousands of repetitions, Sistine had stood as an insurmountable wall of despair before her.

Gradually, against her will, Ellen grew to resent Sistine, harboring unwanted hatred, becoming someone entirely different from who she once was.

But Sistine’s single sentence gently melted Ellen’s heart, fossilized by thousands of cycles. The hatred and jealousy that had scorched and cracked her parched heart were rapidly soothed, as if time itself were rewinding.

Before she knew it—

“S-Sistie… sniff… hic… Sistie… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”

The dark, brooding expression on Ellen’s face vanished as if it were a lie, leaving only a girl crying, her face twisted with pain and regret.

Seeing Ellen like this, Sistine wore a gentle smile.

Then, with a deep breath, she began to quietly channel her mana.

“Here we go, Sensei! I’ll match your every move! Go all out!”

“Heh, you’ve got some spunk now! I’m counting on you, partner.”

With that exchange,

Glenn stepped forward, and Sistine stood behind him, ready to guard, as they took their stances.

“Wait! Please wait, Glenn-sensei! Sistine!”

Startled by their movements, Ellen cried out.

“Are you seriously planning to fight this monster!?”

“Damn right we are. Gotta take it down, or we’re screwed.”

“That’s reckless… Sensei, you’ve seen this monster’s power, haven’t you!? This otherworldly strength that surpasses humanity… do you really think you can win!?”

“Sorry to say, we’ve been fighting far worse bastards than this for a long time.”

“Fighting…?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Hah, the Wind of Destruction? Sure, it’s a pain, but we’ve already got a countermeasure. Mages aren’t knights. A mage only goes into battle when they’re sure they can win.”

“A countermeasure…!? How in the world…!?”

Confused, Ellen turned to Sistine.

But Sistine, standing beside Glenn, radiated confidence.

“It’s okay, Ellen. I’ve been working with Sensei to create a new spell… by withdrawing from the selection.”

“Huh!? Withdrawing!?”

“I’ve got a solid foundation built with Sensei over time. With that, crafting a spell to counter that monster in just a week was no big deal!”

Sistine proudly tossed her hair and laughed boldly.

“I’m still far from being a complete mage… but I’ll save you!”

Ellen could only stare at the majestic Sistine, as if she were something dazzling and distant.

“—And that’s how it is, Le Kill.”

Glenn aimed his pistol at Le Kill, smirking defiantly.

“I’m gonna crush you. This ridiculous loop… it’s over.”

As if sensing their hostility and fighting spirit,

Le Kill, who had been limply clinging to Ellen, suddenly reacted.

‘Hostile reaction detected. Subject deemed an uncertain element posing significant adverse effects on situation loop sequence… transitioning to execution mode. —《Wind of Destruction》authority activated.’

Instantly, the crown in Le Kill’s palm began to spin furiously—her wings spread wide with a flap.

“—The Wind of Destruction!?”

Ellen let out a cry of despair.

Yes, the Wind of Destruction. Before that wind, nothing could escape destruction.

The cursed, absolute wind of annihilation—

“Run away! Sistine! Glenn-sensei! Please, I’m begging you—!”

“Shut up! What the hell’s waiting for us if we escape!? White Cat, let’s go!”

“Yes!”

Le Kill mercilessly flapped her wings.

Unlike before, when she sent small, restrained air bullets,

This was a raging storm, swirling to blow everything but Ellen away.

The world—began to collapse.

Centered on Le Kill and Ellen, the swirling wind disintegrated everything in its path.

The rooftop floor turned to ash in a radial pattern… and it surged toward Glenn and Sistine.

—But.

Sistine spread her arms—and shouted.

“《Obey me, people of the wind・I am the princess who rules the wind》!”

In that moment, a burst of magical light erupted at Sistine’s feet, a magic circle array unfolding and spinning around her.

“Go—!”

As Sistine spread her arms wide, as if parting something—

The onrushing Wind of Destruction split in two, avoiding Glenn and Sistine.

“Wha—?”

Ellen could only stare, wide-eyed, at the phenomenon.

“Heh… nice work.”

Sistine’s specialty, the modified spell Black Magic [Storm Wall].

This was its further evolved form—named Black Magic Modified II [Storm Grasper].

A spell that granted complete control over the wind in its area, allowing Sistine to perceive and dominate all wind currents during its effect.

A technique crafted by Glenn and Sistine in a week of rushed development to counter Le Kill’s deadly wind attacks. Thanks to Eve’s guidance, which had significantly boosted Sistine’s prowess as a mage, she was able to master it.

Sistine’s magical trait [Acceleration and Flux Domination]. The reason for her genius.

The concept of flux, stronger than change, allowed her to accelerate and control changes that occur naturally. A magical trait befitting a mage destined to bring change to the world.

Compatible with nearly all black magic, it was especially suited to wind-based spells, where parameters shift constantly. That talent was now blossoming fiercely.

(But I really put her through the wringer…)

Glenn glanced at Sistine’s sleep-deprived face and thought.

Yet, somehow, Sistine never complained, sticking with Glenn’s reckless spell development to the end, even though he couldn’t tell her the full truth.

This cheeky silver-haired girl always left him in awe.

“Heh… wind is just the flow of air caused by pressure differences! No matter how fancy it sounds as the Wind of Destruction… it’s just wind carrying something that destroys what it touches. So, we just don’t touch it!”

“Sorry to interrupt your smug moment, but this spell eats up a ton of mana! I can’t keep it up for long! We don’t have time to waste talking!?”

Glenn and Sistine bantered, oddly lacking tension.

And Ellen could only stare at Sistine, who controlled the wind, as if she were something unbelievable.

“…Sistine… you…”

“It’s okay, Ellen. I’ll save you right now!”

At that moment,

Le Kill flapped her wings again, stirring up a blast of wind.

The Wind of Destruction surged straight at Glenn and Sistine, striking fiercely.

Following in its wake, the rooftop turned to ash one section after another—

“Haaaaaaa—!”

But it was, after all, mere wind. No matter how fearsome its power, before Sistine, who had become the ruler of the winds, it was as trivial as child’s play.

The destructive blast was split apart, its trajectory bent, and it was swept away in a direction it was never meant to go.

Yet, perhaps as a result of the repeated damage piling up,

the academy’s building, turning to ash, finally began to crumble and collapse with a thunderous roar—

“Fuh—!”

However, with a swift wave of Sistine’s hand, a fierce gust surged upward from below, catching Glenn and Sistine as they fell alongside the collapsing structure.

Their descent was slowed dramatically by the directed force of that wind.

Using Black Magic [Storm Grasper], Sistine manipulated the wind to create a foothold of air.

“Gi—!”

Meanwhile, Le Kill, clutching Ellen, took flight.

Flapping its wings, it soared high into the sky, positioning itself above Glenn and Sistine.

Once more, it raised its wings to unleash a devastating wind—

“I won’t let you!”

Sistine swung both hands.

“《O Maiden of the Sword, brandish thy blade in the sky, and dance upon the earth》—!”

It was a modified and enhanced version of the Black Magic [Air Blade] that Glenn had taught her.

Named Black Magic Modified [Blade Dancer].

In an instant, countless blades of wind materialized around Le Kill—front, back, left, right, above, and below—

“Go—!”

With Sistine’s shout, the wind blades slashed at Le Kill from every direction, tearing it apart.

“Gugaaaaaaa—!?”

Le Kill let out a scream of agony.

“Hii!?”

Ellen, held in Le Kill’s grasp, instinctively flinched.

—What perfect control.

The countless wind blades shredded only Le Kill. Not a single scratch marred Ellen’s skin.

“Gu, gigigi…”

Dropping countless fragments of itself, Le Kill began to tremble violently in the air.

“Amazing… such precise control—”

“White Cat! I’m going in! Take care of that thing!”

“Yes, Sensei!”

In that moment, Glenn’s body was propelled upward by a blast of wind exploding beneath his feet, launching him fiercely into the air.

“Uoooooo—!”

Glenn kicked through the air—kicked, kicked, kicked.

Each kick triggered a blast of wind beneath his feet. Using that as propulsion and Sistine’s wind as a foothold, Glenn soared toward Le Kill, streaking through the sky.

It was a modified and enhanced version of Black Magic [Rapid Stream].

Named Black Magic Modified [Swift Stream]. A spell that applied [Rapid Stream] remotely to another person rather than oneself.

Glenn used its continuous activation—Storm—to charge at Le Kill.

Glenn himself couldn’t use Storm, but with Sistine remotely controlling Black Magic [Rapid Stream] and combining it with Glenn’s physical techniques, it was a different story.

In essence, Glenn, working in tandem with Sistine, could now wield Storm.

“Gi—Threat—Eliminate—!?”

As if to intercept, Le Kill flapped its wings, unleashing a destructive wind toward Glenn below.

That devastating wind arced and spiraled, attacking Glenn from the left, right, above, and below.

But—

“—Hmph.”

With a conductor-like flick of Sistine’s fingers, the destructive wind obeyed, veering off in a random direction, effortlessly deflected.

The wind-dominating power of Black Magic Modified II [Storm Grasper] was absolute.

In response, Le Kill spread its wings wide.

Instantly, a barrage of feathers scattered from its wings, dispersing into the surroundings.

They all surged at once, hurtling toward Glenn as he ascended through the sky.

This time, it was a physical attack.

Likely, even those feathers carried the inescapable “destruction.”

But such an “visible” attack—

“Ha! Out of tricks!?”

Rapid ascent, sharp turns, sudden shifts, spins, and dashes—

Glenn, using Storm, darted freely through the sky in every direction, dodging every single one.

His fluid, almost dance-like, three-dimensional maneuvers in the air.

It looked effortless, but it was an incredibly difficult feat.

After all, Glenn wasn’t activating [Rapid Stream] himself.

If the timing of Glenn’s kicks and Sistine’s activation of [Swift Stream] were even slightly off, Glenn would stall and plummet.

Even if someone else mastered [Swift Stream], they wouldn’t be able to enable another to use Storm so easily.

Yet Glenn and Sistine pulled it off as if it were second nature.

This could only mean that Glenn and Sistine had reached a level of perfect, unspoken coordination.

“《O Maiden of the Sword, brandish thy blade in the sky, and dance upon the earth》—!”

The occasional attack Glenn couldn’t dodge was sliced apart and knocked away by the omnidirectional vacuum slashes of Sistine’s [Blade Dancer].

“Thanks, White Cat!”

All the while, Glenn continued to kick through the air, using the wind as a foothold, ascending higher and higher.

Le Kill, as if trying to escape Glenn, climbed even higher, higher—

But Glenn, assisted by Sistine’s Storm, was faster.

Glenn closed in on Le Kill, high above, with astonishing speed—

“Sensei! This is as far as I can take you! The rest is—”

“Yeah, I know! Leave it to me!”

Glenn shouted, leaping with exceptional force using Storm, vaulting over the incoming barrage of feathers.

He kicked through the air again, ascending further, locking his gaze on Le Kill.

“Uoooooo—!”

Indeed, Sistine’s wind magic was awe-inspiring, but against a legendary divine kin, it lacked decisive power. It could wound, but not destroy.

Modified spells, unoptimized as they were, consumed vast amounts of mana. If any other mage had used such absurd spells in this manner, they’d have long since run dry.

Continuing like this, despite their current dominance, would lead to a slow defeat. They couldn’t win.

But—Glenn and his allies had something. A single strike capable of slaying even a god—

“《Zero’s Focus》—!”

At that moment, as Glenn cocked the hammer of his old-style percussion revolver, he muttered a spell.

Thump… In an instant, an ominous mana stirred within the revolver.

“Time to pay your dues, you junkheap god!”

“Hey! Don’t let your guard down until the very end, okay!?”

Sistine herself, now able to wield Storm as effortlessly as breathing, took to the sky, following Glenn.

The crushing destructive wind. The reckless barrage of destructive feathers.

Sistine protected Glenn from Le Kill’s desperate attacks with Black Magic Modified [Blade Dancer].

Le Kill, still clutching Ellen, ascended higher into the sky as if fleeing—

And Glenn, bolstered by Sistine’s wind, relentlessly pursued—

Higher and higher—as if they were all aiming for the pinnacle of the heavens—

And then—

Below, Sistine masterfully manipulated the wind, overwhelming Le Kill.

Seeing her former friend in such a state, Ellen could only think one thing.

“Amazing… my friend… what an incredible person she is…”

She had always known Sistine was incredible, even from long ago.

Back when her kind father, Graham, was still alive, and her narcissistic but dependable brother, Leos, was by her side.

During rare holidays, when Sistine would come to play, brought by her father’s friend, Leonard.

Thinking back, Sistine had always been extraordinary, even as a child.

Unlike herself, a mere mortal with a low, narrow sky and frail wings.

Sistine had an endless, vast sky and powerful wings to soar through it—Ellen had always gazed at her with envy and admiration.

Since Leos and Sistine got along so well, Ellen was often treated like an afterthought… She’d been jealous, resenting Sistine for stealing Leos’s attention…

But to Ellen, Sistine was a hero to aspire to.

She had always wanted to become like her.

She had always wished to be like her.

After her father, Graham, passed away early, and her brother, Leos, died in an unforeseen accident, Ellen became bound by the burdens and rules of her house, trapped in a birdcage, unable to fly. That desire grew stronger.

She longed desperately for an endless sky and strong wings.

(That’s why I… fell for Grandfather’s sweet talk and took that clock…)

Believing that somewhere in this repeating, closed cage, there must be a free sky and wings… she had trusted in that hope.

She couldn’t blame Gaysorn alone. This situation was partly her own doing.

(But… even after all I’ve done… I’m still trapped.)

Ellen looked down at Le Kill’s arms, clinging tightly to her.

And then—she looked at Sistine again.

“Sensei!”

Below, Sistine darted freely through the sky.

Commanding fierce winds, sharp winds, gentle winds… every kind of wind, protecting Glenn.

Her silver hair, burning red in the twilight, streamed behind her as she danced freely through the sky—a perfect embodiment of everything Ellen had once envied and admired—

“Ah, you’re so lucky, Sistie…”

At that noble sight, Ellen let a tear fall.

“Eliminate! Eliminate! Eliminate—!”

Behind her, Le Kill roared noisily, its crumbling wings flapping chaotically, unleashing endless destructive winds—but it was futile.

Sistine’s relentless Black Magic Modified [Blade Dancer] tore through it, rendering Le Kill powerless.

“I… wanted to be like you… I always wanted to be like you…”

But it was impossible.

No matter how many thousands of times she tried… she could never even touch the sky she longed for.

“…Is there really no sky for me? Was I wrong to wish for such a thing? Tell me, Sistie…”

Then.

“Ain’t no such thing.”

Suddenly, a languid voice called down from above.

—It was Glenn.

Having finally overtaken Le Kill, Glenn descended from the heavens.

In his right hand, a revolver gleamed, burning in the twilight—

“You’ve got one, don’t you… a sky that even Sistine… no, that no one in this world has reached yet.”

“An unknown sky…? That’s a lie, there’s no way I could have—”

“There is. A sky called the future.”

“—!?”

The moment Ellen’s eyes widened,

Glenn, descending, thrust his revolver downward, pressing the muzzle against Le Kill’s forehead.

“To reach it… you’ve gotta get out of this cage first… right!?”

And he pulled the trigger.

The muzzle roared with fire. The gunshot thundered. The bullet pierced through Le Kill’s head.

Original Magic [The Fool’s Penetrator]—activated.

The inescapable magic bullet, fired at point-blank range, tore Le Kill’s very essence to shreds.

“A—…”

Le Kill, as if all strength had left it, released Ellen and plummeted.

As it fell, its body disintegrated into particles of mana…

…and vanished far too anticlimactically.

“Ellen—!”

Sistine, streaking through the sky, caught the thrown Ellen in midair.

“S-Sistie…?”

“Ellen! Phew, this time, I didn’t really understand what was going on until the very end… but I’m just glad you’re safe!”

Up close, Sistine beamed with a smile as bright as the sun.

For a while, Ellen stared at Sistine’s face, dumbfounded…

But soon, she clung tightly to Sistine.

“…Sistie… ugh… Sistie… I… I… sob… hic…”

She cried like a child.

As if pouring all the hardships of her long, painful journey into tears, Ellen wailed in anguish.

“Well now… looks like this mess is finally over…”

As a directed wind cushioned his slow descent, Glenn looked up at the sky.

The surrounding scenery began to rotate slowly. Slowly. Ever so slowly.

Then suddenly the angular velocity of that rotation accelerated rapidly—

Until the scenery stretched and blurred, becoming visually unrecognizable—

“W-What’s this!? What’s happening!?”

In the gradually darkening world, Sistine asked in a panic.

“It’s fine. It’s fine. No problem. The spacetime, warped beyond measure by the repeating loop, is returning to its original form now that Le Kill’s gone. Probably.”

“Huh!? Repeating loop? Spacetime distortion? I don’t understand any of this! B-But it’s okay, right!?”

“Yeah. Trust me on that.”

“Ugh! You’d better explain everything properly later, okay!?”

“Sure, fine… but when everything returns to normal, will you even remember this, White Cat…? Hmm…?”

“Did you say something!?”

Amid their usual banter, the world faded to black.

Everything was consumed by darkness.

Yet, strangely, there was no fear in the face of this anomaly.

Instead, there was a hopeful, almost mystical premonition that something was about to begin…

The world—closed off entirely into complete darkness.

And just before everything fell into that abyss…

“Sistie…”

“…What, Ellen?”

“Thank you… for saving me.”

“Silly. Isn’t that obvious? We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, you’re right… you’re right… I lost sight of something so simple…”

And Ellen, finally free of all shadows and burdens, smiled gently, truly from the heart for the first time.

“Next time we meet… let’s compete fair and square, Sistie.”

“…Yeah… I accept. I won’t lose.”

Exchanging those words, the two embraced, smiling warmly at each other.

And then—

—…