Chapter 5: Dawn, Ablaze

Luvaphos Holy Calendar 1853, Gram’s Moon, 13th Day.

The small-scale battle that began at 4:17 that day saw the Ignite forces split into two groups and similarly the Queen’s army—divided into a main force holding the stronghold and a detached unit, clashed fiercely, plunging into a complete stalemate by 4:49.

If this situation dragged on too long, it would create an opportunity for foreign armies deployed outside Milano to intervene—thinking so, Lord Ignite, growing impatient, decided at 5:21 to deploy the front-line forces guarding him.

His plan was to widen the gap in military strength once more and crush the opposition in one fell swoop.

According to later military studies, Lord Ignite’s decision itself was not considered a misstep.

However, at this moment, Eve, the supreme commander of the Queen’s army, unleashed a guerrilla squad she had kept hidden off the board, suddenly appearing and initiating urban guerrilla warfare.

Records from the time indicate that the communication network between the Queen’s main force and this guerrilla squad was completely severed, and how the main force coordinated with the guerrilla squad remains one of the greatest mysteries in military history, even to later generations.

In any case, the unexpected entry of this unmarked guerrilla squad completely thwarted the reserve forces of the rebel army that were about to be deployed to the front.

The guerrilla squad relentlessly employed magical sniping, isolation barriers, and thorough hit-and-run tactics, focusing solely on taking down the rebel army’s squad leaders, tearing their command structure to shreds and plunging them into utter chaos. (One account mentions a mysterious civilian guerrilla fighter, separate from the squad, who fought with nothing but fists… but the truth of this remains unclear.)

An army with its command structure destroyed is little more than a rabble.

The battlefield, dominated by chaos and confusion, became a complete quagmire.

Yet, this was precisely the aim of Eve, the supreme commander of the Queen’s army.

6:44 on the same day.

When the coup army’s command structure and formations had deteriorated to the point of no longer functioning as a cohesive force, utterly disordered.

When Lord Ignite, forced to consider deploying his final reserve forces—previously held back to guard against foreign armies outside Milano—made his reluctant decision.

Eve’s brilliant, life-or-death reversal play.

The greatest obstacle and linchpin of her strategy—finally came to fruition.

 

────.

 

—Milano Western District, Fifth Avenue.

A triangular city block, like a floating island, separated on three sides by waterways.

At the center of this Fifth Avenue, at the crossroads of the main street.

The surrounding area was once lined with angelic statues, cathedrals, and beautiful buildings steeped in religious sentiment—but now, they were engulfed in flames from the intense battle’s aftermath, collapsing in ruin.

The rising flames spewed countless embers into the sky, scorching the air, burning the skin, and dyeing the world a vivid red.

From all directions, far from this block, the rumbling explosions of offensive spells and the roars and screams of soldiers locked in blood-soaked combat could still be faintly heard.

In stark contrast to the distant clamor and chaos—this place was eerily serene.

Only the quiet crackle of burning flames and the popping of embers filled the air.

At the center of this twilight-like crossroads stood four figures.

“Well… it’s finally time for the climax, huh?”

“Yes.”

Glenn and Eve faced off against Lord Ignite and Lydia.

“Eve… to think that someone like you would push us this far…”

Lord Ignite glared at Eve with eyes as cold as ice.

“…!”

In that instant, a bead of cold sweat formed on Eve’s brow… and her foot subtly shifted back, just a fraction.

“I see… so this was all for this moment. Using your allies as decoys, the Queen as bait, dismantling our command structure, stripping away our defensive forces… isolating us.”

“…Exactly, Father.”

Clenching her faintly trembling left hand, Eve stepped forward resolutely, glaring back.

“Right now, your rebel army is in a state of utter chaos. For the next thirty minutes, no reinforcements will come. In those thirty minutes… I’ll deal with you myself.”

“…!”

“It’s a shame, Father. You’ve always been arrogant, self-serving… and committed far too many sins. The proud Ignite lineage, which has endured since the empire’s founding, ends here. It must end… that is the duty of the Ignite family.”

With that, Eve conjured flames in her right hand.

“Foolish girl… you dare speak of the Ignite name?”

Lord Ignite retorted, his voice dripping with disdain.

“What could a lowly thing like you understand? You know nothing of the duties that noble blood must uphold. I merely sought to fulfill those duties. That is my pride, my conviction. How pitiful, Eve, that you cannot even comprehend that.”

“The one who doesn’t understand is you, Father.”

Eve shot back, undeterred.

“You’re always like this. You dress up your filthy desires and ambitions as if they’re righteous and noble. You hide your petty ugliness behind pretty words like ‘pride’ and ‘conviction,’ dolling it up like some delicate facade.

Oh, how I’ve longed to say this to your face…

You’re the lowest, most despicable scum in history! You’re utterly oblivious to the fact that you’re the blackest evil of all! Truly a pathetic, small-minded fool!”

“Silence.”

Lord Ignite’s sharp command made Eve flinch.

“How dare you speak to your father like that…!”

“…Ugh…!”

“Honestly, I’d love to burn a traitor like you at the stake…!”

But here, Lord Ignite suppressed his rising fury and countered:

“At the same time, my magnanimous self is reassessing your usefulness.”

“…What?”

“You’ve done well to corner me this far. I’ll give you that. So—‘come back,’ Eve. ‘Kneel before me.’ I’ll reeducate you to never defy me again, but after that, I’ll allow you to rejoin the Ignite family, at its lowest ranks… Now…”

To Lord Ignite’s chilling words.

“…Ugh…”

Thump… Eve’s heart pounded violently again. Her breathing grew ragged.

It was happening again—she couldn’t defy her father’s words. The moment she tried, an odd palpitating sensation overwhelmed her. Cold sweat drenched her body, and her hands trembled as if with a fever.

“…Ha… hah…!?”

But—

“Eve. It’s okay. I’ve got you. Take a deep breath.”

Glenn reached out from beside her, gripping Eve’s shoulder.

And then.

“Ugh—ha… ha… Thank you, Glenn…”

Eve, who had been on the verge of collapse, steadied herself with his support.

“…Why? The ‘wedge’ still isn’t working properly… Why…?”

Lord Ignite muttered carelessly to himself.

Glenn, sharp-eared, caught it and spat back:

“…Oh, so that’s it? I had a hunch, but… you really did something to Eve, didn’t you?”

“…!?”

At Glenn’s accusation, Eve blinked in surprise, and Lord Ignite fell silent.

“Some kind of mind-control suggestion, or maybe a binding curse… Either way, you put some kind of ‘magical procedure’ on Eve to make her unable to defy your words, didn’t you?”

“…”

“So that’s how it is, huh? The thing with Sera was the same deal.”

“You…”

“You’re a real piece of work. I’ve never seen a worse parent than you.”

Burning with anger, Glenn cocked his pistol with a click.

As if to calm him, Eve spoke:

“…Glenn. Settle down. I’m okay now.”

Eve narrowed her eyes, placing her hand over Glenn’s on her shoulder.

And then, she stared straight at Lord Ignite.

“I’m fine.”

At Eve’s resolute stance.

Lord Ignite trembled with rage… and suddenly began to shout:

“I see it now, Eve! You’ve cast aside your dependence and reverence for the Ignite family…! You’ve found a new object of devotion…!”

“…What? What are you…?”

“I’m disappointed! You’re an Ignite, yet you’ve abandoned what it means to be one…! I take back my offer! I have no need for you! I’ll burn you to ashes, not a single hair or speck of dust left!”

Whatever had set him off, Lord Ignite erupted like a volcano.

And then—

“Yes, that’s right, Father.”

Lydia gently sidled up to Lord Ignite.

“I don’t know who she is, but you don’t need such a naughty child, Father. You have me! Your daughter, me!”

“Yes, you’re right, Lydia! You’re my only daughter now! Aries, Eve—nothing but useless failures!

Eve… I expect nothing more from you! Prepare yourself! You’ll regret your ignorance and folly as you burn in the flames of the nine gardens!”

With that, Lord Ignite and Lydia readied themselves.

At the same time, Glenn and Eve split left and right, assuming combat stances.

“Let’s do this, Eve. Cut the chains of your past right here! And let’s protect Her Majesty—and our students!”

“Hmph, no need to tell me. I’m counting on you, Glenn!”

“Yeah, same here!”

Exchanging those words.

Glenn and Eve charged at Lord Ignite and Lydia—

 

“Uooooooohhh!”

Glenn moved first.

Channeling mana into the physical enhancement runes etched across his body, he boosted his physical abilities.

With Glenn as the vanguard and Eve as the rearguard, Glenn charged straight at Lord Ignite.

At a speed like a darting shadow, Glenn closed in on Lord Ignite—

“Fool… have you forgotten who I am?”

In response, Lord Ignite calmly raised his left hand, preparing to chant a fire spell.

“《Lord Scarlet》—I am the Ignite, unmatched in close-range magical combat!”

A hellish blaze began to form in Lord Ignite’s left hand—at that very moment.

Fwoosh…

As if snuffing out a candle, the flame vanished.

“W-What!?”

“Yare yare, have you forgotten who I am?”

On Glenn’s finger, as he closed in like a gale, was a single Major Arcana card.

His unique magic, [Fool’s World], which completely nullified all magical activation within a certain radius around him, was already active.

In this moment, all wise magicians were reduced to ignorant fools—

“《The Fool》—I’m Glenn Radars, the mage-killer!”

With that declaration—

Glenn drove a right straight directly into Lord Ignite’s face.

Indeed, the Ignite family, masters of heat and flame magic.

For better or worse, their mages were “orthodox.”

An orthodox mage was the worst possible match for Glenn, the ultimate heretic who, despite being a mage, sealed magic itself.

BAM! Glenn’s fist connected with a thunderous impact.

“Guoooh!?”

“Daaaaahhh!”

As Lord Ignite reeled back, Glenn stepped forward like a shadow.

He unleashed a relentless barrage, giving Lord Ignite no time to breathe.

A ferocious left body blow bent Lord Ignite into a curve.

A rising dragon-like right uppercut sent him arching backward.

Then, a left high spinning back kick—

CRACK!

“Gaaaaaahhh!”

Lord Ignite’s head whipped around violently as he was sent flying backward.

“Eve!”

“—Got it!”

Eve overtook Glenn, swiftly pursuing Lord Ignite.

In her hand, she gripped a sword formed entirely of flame.

The Ignite family’s secret technique, [Flame Blade]. A rare close-combat spell held by the Ignite mages, who specialized in close-range magical warfare.

She had activated it before Glenn’s [Fool’s World] took effect.

Indeed, though often misunderstood due to their overwhelming prowess in close-range magical combat, Ignite mages were by no means weak in close-quarters fighting.

“Father, prepare yourself—!”

Intending to strike while the enemy underestimated their strength, Eve raised her flaming blade toward Lord Ignite—

“No, stop, Eve!”

“—!?”

At Lord Ignite’s command, Eve’s movements slowed for a split second—

BOOM! Clashing flame blades sparked an explosion.

“—I won’t let you lay a finger on Father.”

“Sis…!?”

Lydia, wielding a [Flame Blade] in each hand, had blocked Eve’s strike.

Lydia’s dual-wielded [Flame Blade]. A feat made possible by split-second judgment and exceptional skill.

She had anticipated the nature of Glenn’s [Fool’s World] and activated her spell at high speed before it could take effect.

“Ha—!”

Lydia slashed her left [Flame Blade] at Eve.

The trail of her strike burned through the air like a shooting star—

“—Guh!?”

Eve instinctively leaped back, dodging it.

“Haaaaaah!”

Lydia pursued Eve like a tempest, slashing relentlessly.

“Eve! Leave the old bastard to me!”

Glenn shouted as he closed the distance to Lord Ignite once more.

“You’re still under the influence of his curse! Take on your sister!”

“G-Got it—!”

Following Glenn’s orders, Eve retreated, leaping backward in a wide arc.

She kicked off a nearby building’s wall, vaulted upward, and flipped onto the rooftop.

“I won’t let you escape!”

Lydia pursued like a gale, launching a follow-up attack on Eve.

Ignoring them—

“Uooooooohhh!”

Glenn swung his fist at Lord Ignite again.

But.

“Don’t underestimate me, you brat!”

Lord Ignite’s right cross-counter caught Glenn’s cheek instead.

“Guuuuh!?”

This time, it was Glenn who tumbled backward dramatically.

“Guh… ugh…!?”

“Punk! Getting cocky over a lucky punch! My years of combat experience far surpass yours!”

Lord Ignite loomed over Glenn, who writhed on the ground in agony.

“Even in close-quarters combat with magic sealed, you think you have a chance against me in a fair fight!? I’ll toy with you until you’re dead!”

But at that moment, something strange happened to Lord Ignite’s body.

Thud… His raised right fist suddenly dropped limply.

“W-What…!? My right arm… I can’t put strength into it…!?”

“Heh… who said anything about fighting fair…?”

Glenn wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, grinning defiantly as he stood.

“T-this is…!?”

Looking closely, a single needle was embedded in Lord Ignite’s right shoulder, unnoticed until now.

“A poison needle…!?”

“Sorry, pal. I only know how to fight dirty.”

Glenn assumed a boxing stance again, stepping lightly.

It seemed that while he had taken Lord Ignite’s counterblow, Glenn had skillfully mitigated it, and he didn’t appear too damaged.

In that moment, Lord Ignite recalled something.

Indeed, Glenn had been a third-rate mage. But during his time in the military, Glenn Radars, the executive officer, had an abnormally high rate of taking down stronger opponents.

And now, that irregular former executive stood before him.

Even Lord Ignite couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine at that revelation.

“An honor student like you wouldn’t even notice a pathetic weakling like me. But I’ve done my homework, and I’m ready. So, let’s do this! It’s time for a surprise test!”

“You…! You, you, you…!”

 

Meanwhile—Eve and Lydia were locked in a fierce clash of blades.

“Haaaaaah!”

“Not bad!”

The two girls darted across rooftops at breakneck speed, their [Flame Blades] crossing in a fiery dance.

Kicking off walls, vaulting over roofs, they maneuvered in three dimensions, clashing repeatedly with ferocious intensity—

“Ha!”

“—Hmph!”

Each time their [Flame Blades] collided, flames roared upward. Explosions. Searing heat.

Sparks scattered in droves with a whoosh and crackle.

In the whirlwind of their racing vision, Eve desperately swung her [Flame Blade], parrying the relentless onslaught of Lydia’s pursuit—

Eventually, the two, locked in their duel of [Flame Blades], moved beyond the range of Glenn’s [Fool’s World]—

And in that instant—

“《Roar, Blazing Lion》!”

“《Roar, Blazing Lion》!”

Both shouted the incantation for Black Magic [Blaze Burst] in unison.

Ultra-high-temperature converging energy fireballs erupted from both sides.

They collided head-on in midair—

—shaking the atmosphere with a massive explosion.

The heat energy, seeking an escape, rampaged outward, scattering shockwaves and flames in all directions.

At first glance, it seemed like an even clash—

“Kuuuh!?”

But Eve was losing.

The unneutralized heat and blast struck her head-on, hurling her backward.

Her body slammed into the wall of a nearby building, back-first.

“…Guh…!?”

Skid! Eve slid down the wall, landing on her feet.

“Oh my, oh my.”

And then, Lydia descended gracefully before her.

“You’re quite skilled… but you’re still far from being a match for me.”

“…!?”

Eve glared up at Lydia with frustration, but it was the truth.

From the start, she’d been overwhelmed in close-quarters combat with [Flame Blades]. Even shifting to short-range magical combat, the fundamental difference in mana capacity and skill was stark between them.

(I knew it would come to this. After all, she’s—…)

As Eve steadied her ragged breathing, Lydia spoke with an amused tone.

“Sorry, but I’ll have to finish this quickly, nameless mage. My father is waiting.”

Lydia began gathering ultra-high heat in her left hand.

But Eve muttered to her quietly.

“How pitiful.”

“What?”

“I said you’re pitiful.”

Eve’s eyes no longer held the gaze of one facing an enemy.

Nor were they the eyes of someone looking at family.

“Facing you now, clashing mana like this, I’m certain… you’re not my sister… you’re not Lydia.”

“…What? What are you talking about…?”

At that moment, Lydia’s smile stiffened, her body freezing.

“A tip came in the other day. ‘Lydia is already dead. She was killed by her father. The current Lydia is a fake created through [Project: Revive Life].’”

“…”

“Do you know what [Project: Revive Life] is? It’s the ultimate taboo—using Platinum Alchemy to install a deceased person’s memories into a newly crafted body and soul to resurrect them. That’s what you are.”

“…”

“It explains all the inconsistencies. How you recovered from an injury that should’ve been permanent. Why my justice-loving sister is now blindly loyal to Father. And—…”

Why you don’t even know who I am.

Swallowing those words, Eve continued.

“Everything about you was crafted to suit Father’s convenience—your heart, your body, your memories.”

“—!?”

Yes. Most likely, Lydia wasn’t ignoring or forgetting Eve.

Her memories of Eve had been deliberately erased.

Because—for Lord Ignite—it was more convenient. Easier to control.

“Deep down, you must suspect it, don’t you? The unnaturalness of your existence.”

“Wha…”

“The gaps in your memories, your unnaturally intense loyalty to Father, the warped values within you… If your foundation is the brilliant Lydia-neesan, there’s no way you wouldn’t notice.”

“What… what are you even saying…?”

“You’re a tool. A pitiful tool created solely to fulfill Father’s ambitions. A mass-produced, replaceable, disposable product.”

“Yet you obey him absolutely… you even take joy in it… If that’s not pitiful, then what is!?”

“No, you’re wrong… I’m Father’s daughter…! I’ll dedicate everything to my beloved Father…! And surely, Father loves me for it…!”

Lydia snapped back at Eve, her voice laced with irritation.

But, as if something struck a chord, her expression shifted slightly.

“There’s no way I’m some mass-produced disposable thing…! Father’s joy is my joy! I won’t forgive anyone who stands in his way! No matter who they are!”

“Oh, how truly pitiful, Nee-san. To remain chained to that man even in death…”

At the same time, tears welled in the corners of Eve’s eyes.

“Lydia is already dead. Killed by her father.” She was now certain it was true.

(Because I can feel it… my spiritual senses are screaming… this mana wavelength… within this counterfeit woman, I sense Nee-san’s presence… her soul!)

The soul used in [Project: Revive Life] is forged by amalgamating multiple souls.

And within this false Lydia, Eve could undeniably sense the existence—the faintest fragment—of the soul that once belonged to the real Lydia.

Which meant—

(Don’t cry, Eve! Now’s not the time for tears!)

Eve wiped her tears and stared straight at Lydia.

She shook off the fleeting phantoms of her sister flickering in her mind.

“I’ll set you free. It’s the least I can do as an offering to Nee-san.”

And with that, she declared resolutely to Lydia.

“Shut up…! 《Burn》—!”

The moment Lydia, enraged, shouted, flames erupted around them—

With a deafening roar, they engulfed Eve.

The ultra-high-temperature flames spread across the ground in all directions, turning the area into a blazing inferno.

“There’s no way that’s true…! Even if, by some chance, I’m not Lydia…! Look at this power…! How else could you describe it but genuine!?”

Lydia screamed hysterically, as if trying to convince herself.

As if answering her cry, the flames intensified, scorching the heavens.

“Haha, ahahaha! I am Father’s daughter…! My body, my heart, everything exists for Father…! That’s the meaning of my existence…!

I won’t let anyone interfere with Father…! I’ll kill you! Every obstacle in Father’s path will be incinerated by the flames of me,《Lord Scarlet》!”

Lydia’s violent flames mercilessly consumed Eve.

But—

“…Pathetic.”

Suddenly, Eve, still burning in the flames, muttered.

“…What did you say…?”

“I said it’s pathetic.”

Eve, standing amidst the flames, locked eyes with the stunned Lydia.

In her mind, her sister’s words from long ago resurfaced—

 

—With the noble flame of magic, we dispel the darkness and illuminate the path for the people of the world… That is what it means to be an Ignite,《Lord Scarlet》.

 

“Nee-san’s—Lydia’s flames… were far hotter!”

“Shut uppppppppp!”

In a frenzy, Lydia rapid-fired incantations, unleashing wave after wave of hellish flames.

Eve chanted as well, flames swirling around her right hand—

—and they detonated.

The area descended further into a scorching hell of unimaginable heat—

 

“Guuuuuuh!?”

Glenn’s kick sent Lord Ignite flying.

“Haa… haa… There!”

Glenn spun, drawing his pistol in a flash for a quick draw.

Three gunshots rang out, the sharp lines of fire streaking straight toward Lord Ignite.

“Tch!”

But Lord Ignite was no ordinary foe—a battle-hardened veteran.

He swiftly regained his balance in midair, dodging with a sideways leap, then soaring high.

A split second later, the bullets struck the ground, ricocheting.

“To think a mere worm like you could push me this far…!”

Landing on a nearby rooftop, Lord Ignite glared down at Glenn with a furious expression.

“…Tch.”

Glenn gritted his teeth.

He’d sealed Ignite’s magic and injected a paralyzing poison needle. Yet, Ignite’s overwhelming mana reserves, enhanced physical abilities, and, above all, his combat skill and experience were on an entirely different level.

Despite Glenn’s overwhelming advantage, he couldn’t close the gap.

Ignite skillfully kept himself out of Glenn’s lethal range.

(Even past his prime, he’s still the head of the Ignite family, the pillar of the empire’s magical martial tradition…!)

Ideally, Glenn had hoped to end it in the first few minutes with a surprise attack.

But Ignite’s cunning had weathered Glenn’s ferocious assault.

(Damn it…! If this keeps up, that’s gonna happen…!)

As if to confirm Glenn’s worst fears—

“Tch… I didn’t want to use this on the likes of you—!”

Lord Ignite pulled something from his pocket.

It was—a “key.” A single “red key.”

“Tch! Like I’ll let you—!”

In an instant, Glenn swapped his cylinder and swung his gun’s muzzle.

Gunshots, gunshots, gunshots—three rapid shots aimed at Ignite overhead.

But Ignite leaped high, dodging them—

“《Blazing Wall of Fire》—!”

He was chanting.

Black Magic [Flare Cliff]. A spell that conjured a manipulable wall of searing flames.

A thick wall of fire surged toward Glenn, filling his entire field of vision from above.

(Damn—!? Did he exploit the moment [Fool’s World]’s effect wore off!?)

As expected of the battle-hardened Lord Ignite.

He hadn’t missed that fleeting gap, slipping his spell through.

“Guuuh!?”

There was no time to chant a counterspell.

Glenn dove to the side, rolling to evade the raging flames—

In that moment, Lord Ignite plunged the “red key” into his chest.

Click. The instant he turned the key.

Thud. A violent surge of mana pulsed, as if compressing the heavens and earth.

Pitch-black mana swelled from Ignite’s body, mercilessly engulfing him—

“Damn it! Just like the tip said!?”

Rolling out of the hellish flames’ range, Glenn cursed.

Before him, the pitch-black mana rising from Ignite overflowed, endlessly spilling forth—

Until it erupted into a blazing crimson, scorching the sky.

A radiant scarlet brilliance painted the world’s dawn in vivid vermilion.

When Glenn looked again, Lord Ignite’s body had been reborn.

From the molten magma-like flames emerged—a demon.

His body, formed entirely of ultra-high-temperature flames. The scarlet robe he wore barely shaped the fiery form into a humanoid silhouette.

An overwhelming presence and heat swelled without limit.

The air seemed to glow red, an illusion cast by this fiery demon.

His name—

“《Flame Demon Emperor》Via Dhol!? Hah, what a fairy-tale bargain sale!”

Once again, a Demon General Star reigned here.

“Hmph… Magnificent, this power…!”

Lord Ignite—Via Dhol—spoke, his body trembling with exhilaration as he landed.

Roooar!

Enormous flames surged skyward, encircling Glenn and the demon, as if to burn the heavens themselves.

The intense heat wave pinned Glenn in place, unable to move.

“The abyssal power and knowledge of the outer cosmos are etched into my soul… I see, this is a fragment of the truth. Oh, how foolish I was! I should have embraced this power sooner!

I clung to my half-baked humanity, when I should have cast it aside entirely!

Hah, accepting that key was the right choice! That one’s words were the true path! Haha, hahahahaha…!”

“Shut up!”

Glenn aimed his gun, cocking the hammer. A bullet fired.

But Ignite didn’t even bother dodging—

The bullet passed through his chest—and burned to ash with a sizzle.

“Fool. I am now《Flame Demon Emperor》Via Dhol. This body is pure ultra-high-temperature flame… Did you think such a toy could harm me?”

“Heh, figured as much—!”

“Your feeble weapons and magic are useless against this demon’s body! Hahahahaha…! Now, I’ll burn you! I’ll burn you to cinders, frail human! Raaaaaah…!”

As Ignite roared, the surrounding flames intensified further.

The searing flames swirled into a storm, closing in to reduce Glenn to ash.

The blazing inferno tightened its encirclement, bit by bit—

(But between the《Iron Cavalry General》and《Silver Dragon General》I fought before, and now this《Flame Demon Emperor》… it’s always a “key” involved… What the hell are those things…!?)

And speaking of “keys”—

Rumia’s ability was also tied to a “key”—

(…Tch, save the theorizing for later. I’ve got to deal with this guy first…!)

Glenn shook off the unsettling thoughts that flashed through his mind.

He fixed his gaze on Lord Ignite beyond the flames.

The situation was dire—but he had a plan.

Glenn possessed a trump card capable of defeating this demon.

Original Magic [Fool’s Penetrator].

A lethal magic bullet that carried Glenn’s unique magical trait, piercing the very existence of its target.

Thanks to that odd tip from Elsa, he’d prepared it just in case.

(But it’s only effective if I fire it point-blank…!)

While swiftly swapping his gun’s cylinder, Glenn locked eyes with the flame-incarnate Lord Ignite.

But around Ignite, flames writhed like living creatures, guarding him. Approaching recklessly would reduce Glenn to ash.

(…Can I get close enough…!? To point-blank range…!? Without White Cat, Rumia, or Re=L here, in this situation…!?)

It seemed utterly impossible.

In a head-on, one-on-one fight, Glenn was nothing more than a third-rate mage.

If he tried to close that distance, he’d undoubtedly be incinerated.

(But—I’ve got no choice…!)

With grim resolve—

Glenn, as always, prepared to challenge an absolute powerhouse—

────.

 

They are fighting.

Across Milano, the people of the Alzano Empire are battling in various places.

 

“《My Key》──! Protect everyone!”

“I won’t let you! Wind!”

At the Queen’s army stronghold, Sistine wields the Wind Princess’s barrier, while Rumia dominates the space around them.

 

“This is where we hold the line, everyone! Mana, now!”

““““Raaaah!””””

The students protecting the Queen desperately muster their mana, weaving spells with all their might.

 

“Iyaaaaaaaah!”

“Ha──!”

With unparalleled swordsmanship, Re=L and Elsa relentlessly move from one battlefield to another across Milano.

 

“Raaaah! Not yet! We can’t fall, not now!”

““““Raaaaaaaaah!””””

The Queen’s army soldiers pour their heart and soul into the fight, refusing to yield.

“Take down the Queen!”

“Glory to Lord Ignite!”

Likewise, the coup army soldiers fight with every ounce of their lives.

The two armies clash fiercely, grinding each other down in a brutal struggle.

 

“Albert-san, this way! I’ve deployed a barrier! Let’s fall back for now!”

“Tch──how pathetic.”

“Can’t be helped! We’ve been battered from the start, haven’t we!?”

Albert, Bernard, and Christoph engage in desperate guerrilla tactics, risking their lives.

 

“Shut up!? You’re ruining precious ruins with all this chaos!”

““““Waaaah!?””””

One person, for reasons incomprehensible, is single-handedly pummeling the coup army──

 

Everyone is fighting.

In just under three hours──

The densest, most intense time of their lives flows by.

Why must they kill their own kin?

What meaning is there in this battle?

The madness and fervor of the conflict blur even these questions──

But one thing is clear: It must end.

This futile battle must be brought to a conclusion, no matter the cost.

And everyone feels it, an equal premonition.

This battle──it will end soon. In just a little more time, it will be decided.

They feel this certainty keenly, deep in their bones.

For now, they all fight as one, simply to survive──

 

────.

 

That place had become the Seventh Garden of the Underworld──a blazing inferno of hell.

“《O Crimson flame emperor, raise the Banner of Calamity, ravage in scarlet》──!”

“《O Crimson flame emperor, raise the Banner of Calamity, ravage in scarlet》──!”

Eve and Lydia──the two women shout the same incantation in unison.

A B-rank offensive military spell, Black Magic [Inferno Flare].

Behind them rises a crimson aurora, pillars of hellfire. They surge as a tsunami of scorching calamity, rushing to engulf their opponent.

A clash──the raging, ultra-hot flames seek an escape, licking and spreading in all directions.

Fsshh, fsshh.

The sheer heat causes the stone of buildings and roads to glow red-hot and begin to boil.

“《Roar, Blazing Lion》──《Fiercely》──!”

Without a moment’s pause, Eve activates three simultaneous Black Magic [Blaze Burst] spells.

“《O Searing Flame Wall》──!”

In response, Lydia deploys Black Magic [Flare Cliff].

A towering wall of flame rises, intercepting the three incoming fireballs.

Explosion, explosion, explosion.

A shower of sparks and shockwaves scatters, painting the surroundings in scarlet.

“《O Wrath Filling the Heavens》──!”

Then, Lydia immediately chants Black Magic [Meteor Flame].

A hail of fireballs rains down on Eve──

“──《Explode》──!”

In an instant, Eve activates Black Magic [Quick Ignition].

The shockwave she summons blows the fireballs away as she swiftly retreats.

Flames, flames, flames.

The massive flames ignited by the battle’s aftermath.

They scorch the surroundings. Burn them. Melt them. Everything──every last thing.

The cycle of spell exchanges pauses, and Eve and Lydia lock eyes once more amidst the raging inferno.

Burning buildings. Burning earth. Burning sky.

In the center of a red world, where everything is dyed and ablaze in scarlet.

“Haa…! Haa…!?”

Eve breathes heavily, struggling to catch her breath.

“…Hehe, such a hard worker, aren’t you? Just like Aries.”

In contrast, Lydia remains utterly composed, exuding an air of effortless ease.

“My little sister… Aries was just like you. Such a hard worker.”

(…She’s strong…!)

Eve glares at Lydia, desperately trying to regulate her breathing.

Naturally, Eve has maximized her heat resistance with Black Magic [Tri Resist].

Using various techniques and spells, she has managed to avoid direct hits from Lydia’s fiery incantations.

Yet still──she can’t fully protect herself.

The mere shockwaves and residual heat from Lydia’s flames are enough to sear Eve’s body bit by bit.

Severe burns are eating away at Eve’s entire body──

(Right now… my face is probably a mess… I wouldn’t want him to see me like this.)

In contrast, Lydia is unscathed.

Her breathing is steady, not a single burn on her.

Unlike Eve, whose left face bears severe burns, Lydia’s face remains pristine and serene.

(I have to… find some kind of opening…!)

She can’t afford to stand idly by.

If that mysterious tip was true──then the one Glenn is facing right now isn’t Lord Ignite anymore.

A monster born of an ancient civilization──the Demon King’s loyal servant, a Demon General Star.

《Flame Demon Emperor General》Via Dhol.

They sent Glenn with various countermeasures, but that opponent is far too much for him to handle alone.

(I have to go… I have to…!)

But she can’t win.

For Eve right now, Lydia is an impossibly high wall.

(If only… my left arm… if only I could use my left arm…!)

Eve clenches her left arm with force.

Long ago, during Fejite’s worst three days, Jatice severed her left arm. Since then, mana has never flowed through it──she still can’t cast spells with her left hand.

(…No use wishing for what’s gone.)

Scolding herself for her fleeting weakness, Eve readies her stance again.

(I’ll win. I have to win. I can’t afford to lose… for my own sake!)

With grim resolve, Eve searches for an opening in Lydia’s defenses.

Clap, clap, clap… Suddenly, Lydia begins clapping, jarringly out of place.

“Well done, you tried so hard.”

“…?”

“To cling to my flames, the flames of《Lord Scarlet》, this long… Your flames are truly impressive.”

“…I’m honored by the praise.”

Though I really wanted to hear that from my real sister.

For a fleeting moment, Eve indulges in that sentiment.

“But, you know, it’s over now.”

Lydia’s words plunge Eve into the depths of hell.

“My domain is complete.”

“…Huh? Domain? What are you…?”

The moment Eve falters, stunned.

A swirling vortex of even fiercer flames erupts around Lydia.

──Without a single incantation.

Eve stumbles back, one step, two, reeling at the sight.

“No way… That’s Secret Family Spell [Seventh Garden]!?”

Secret Family Spell [Seventh Garden]. The ultimate secret technique of Ignite’s heat-based magic.

Within a pre-designated area, it completely bypasses the ‘Quint Action’ required to activate heat-based spells.

It allows the caster to freely manipulate heat-based spells within the domain with no focus, no charging, no chanting, no disruption to mana biorhythms──a technique of unparalleled power with zero risk.

In other words, complete domination of flames within the domain.

Thus, an Ignite mage who activates [Seventh Garden] is invincible──the ultimate force in close-range magical combat.

“Why…!? How is the [Seventh Garden] domain already active…!?”

Indeed, the invincible [Seventh Garden] has one weakness: the time and effort required to prepare the domain.

Constructing the domain demands the magical creation of multiple ley points across the area… an immense amount of work and effort.

Thus, [Seventh Garden] is typically used as a trap, luring enemies into a pre-prepared domain. And yet──

“How!? How did you…?”

Mid-sentence, Eve realizes her own ignorance.

Who does she think she’s fighting?

Her opponent, even if a fake… is still Lydia, in a manner of speaking.

“No way… You built the domain… just now? While fighting me, as a side task…?”

To Eve’s words.

Lydia responds with a bright, affirming smile.

“…!”

Eve can only stand in shock.

She had been fighting with every ounce of her strength. A single lapse in focus would have meant being incinerated in an instant… so she wielded her flames with every fiber of her being.

Meanwhile, Lydia toyed with her, constructing the [Seventh Garden] domain on the side. Without Eve even noticing.

(What… the…)

Just how vast is the gap in skill between her and her sister?

Years have passed since then.

She thought she had at least closed the distance to her sister’s back… but the gap hasn’t narrowed at all.

Faced with such an insurmountable wall, Eve’s spirit begins to break.

And then, as if to deliver the final blow.

“Now… I won’t be as gentle as I was before, okay?”

With a gentle smile.

Lydia beams with serene kindness──

And with a swift motion, she waves her hand.

Dense flames erupt from all directions around Eve.

The ground, the sky, everything is dyed crimson without a single gap.

What a cruel, beautiful sight it was──

“…Ah…”

“Goodbye, stranger.”

Snap! Lydia snaps her fingers mercilessly.

The crimson that had completely painted Eve’s world surges toward her, ready to swallow her whole.

An all-encompassing annihilation attack. No escape. No means of defense.

“…”

Eve, dazed, can only accept the sight before her──

 

“Guaaaaah!?”

“Hahahahaha! Weak! Far too weak!”

Seeing Glenn engulfed in flames and rolling on the ground, the demonized Lord Ignite laughs mockingly.

“…Gah…!? Damn it…!”

Glenn quickly pulls a magic crystal from his pocket──

And shouts something.

Instantly, pop! The crystal shatters──

The flames engulfing Glenn are blown away and extinguished.

“Hmph… Clever… You still had that up your sleeve.”

“Haa… Haa… Haa…!”

That magic crystal held the spell [Tri Resist], highly resistant to heat-based attacks, infused with Rumia’s unique ability and imbued by Eve and Sistine.

Glenn had been barely enduring the overwhelming firepower of《Flame Demon Emperor General》Via Dhol, transformed into Lord Ignite, by relying on the power within these crystals.

(But, damn it…! No matter how many times I recast Resist, that guy’s flames pierce through instantly… It’s like a paper shield…!)

He assesses the situation.

The surroundings are still a hellscape. A blazing inferno, in every sense.

Everything glows red-hot, simmering and boiling.

Without these crystals, he’d have been reduced to ash just standing here.

Around Lord Ignite, thick walls of magma-like flames still stand in multiple layers.

Even with the crystals as a shield, those flame walls are likely impenetrable. Unbreachable.

He can’t get close, and there’s no opening.

And worse──

(Only two crystals left… I’ve got maybe three minutes left…)

It’s almost checkmate.

Glenn’s calm combat reasoning reaches that conclusion.

At that moment.

The sound of an explosive blaze erupts from far away.

Glenn instinctively glances in that direction.

“…!? That was…!?”

“Hoh? That’s my beloved daughter, Lydia, isn’t it? It seems she’s activated [Seventh Garden].”

“────!?”

Glenn’s eyes widen.

Lydia has activated [Seventh Garden]. That means Eve, fighting Lydia──

“…Heh, it’s over, isn’t it? Glenn Radars.”

Lord Ignite declares triumphantly.

“Soon, Lydia will arrive here, having incinerated that trash. When that happens, no matter how tenacious you are, it’s the end for you. Kukuku… Hahahahahahaha…!”

But.

The response to Lord Ignite is a single gunshot.

The bullet fired at Lord Ignite is, of course, caught by the flames in its path──

Fsshh! The bullet burns up and evaporates in an instant.

Not a fragment reaches Lord Ignite.

But Glenn’s desperate resistance is more than enough to irritate him.

“You insect… Still defying me?”

“Obviously.”

With his gun still aimed at Lord Ignite, Glenn replies as if it’s the most natural thing.

“Why? The battle is already decided…”

“Because I believe in her!”

Glenn declared without hesitation.

“She won’t lose…! She’ll definitely come back here!”

“Hmph, foolish… You’ve always been a man blind to reality, even back in the military. That fool will come back? That’s nothing but a delusion!”

“Ha… A delusion, you say? For her father, you sure don’t understand a damn thing about how incredible she is! It’s beyond pathetic—it’s pitiful, you!”

Glenn shot back with fearless defiance.

“She’s a spinster, twisted, and a pain in the ass… but when she says she’ll do something, she does it. Heh, brace yourself. The moment she comes back… is the moment you’re done for.”

“Ridiculous. I’ve had enough of entertaining your nonsense.”

With a furious shout of irritation, Lord Ignite brandished flames.

“Uoooohhhhhhhhhhh!”

Glenn charged at them once more.

Glenn’s fiery spirit and the explosive roar of the flames shook the skies of Milano endlessly—

 

————.

 

——.

 

It was—a fleeting moment.

Yet, to a mind teetering on the brink of death, stretched to its limits, it was an infinite moment.

In the heart of that world where the flow of time had gone mad—

(…I lost.)

—Eve closed her eyes, filled with regret.

Hot. Her entire body was hot. Literally burning.

Lydia had activated Ignite’s ultimate secret, the Family Secret Spell [Seventh Garden].

Against it, Eve had no means to resist.

How could she defend, endure, or escape?

The Family Secret Spell [Seventh Garden] enabled a devastating attack only possible within its domain.

It filled every inch of the controlled space with ultra-high-temperature flames, incinerating everything in a blazing inferno.

Its name was 《Endless Crimson Purgatory・Seventh Garden》—the pinnacle of the Family Secret Spell [Seventh Garden].

Even at her peak, Eve had never managed to reach this unavoidable, annihilating spell.

In that world, dyed entirely in crimson and scarlet—

(…I lost…)

As hellish flames consumed her body, Eve sank to her knees.

In a few more moments, she would burn away completely, thoughts and all, leaving not even ash behind.

In that fleeting reprieve, Eve thought hazily—

(That’s right… There was no way I could win… No way I could ever beat Nee-san… What was I even thinking, getting so full of myself…? I knew her power…)

(If she was a fake, I could win? A fake’s flames are weak? What a load of nonsense. Nee-san and I… we’re on completely different levels…!)

Amid the hellish heat and agony, Eve muttered to herself in bitter self-mockery.

(Nee-san is the real Ignite… How could I, a mere fake Ignite, ever hope to beat her…? Who’s the real fake here…?!)

Her left hand… she clenched it.

That left hand, still devoid of mana’s flow.

(Sorry, Glenn… You’re probably believing in me like an idiot, as always… but it’s over.)

(You overestimated me. I’m not the great woman you think I am.)

(I’m a fake. Clinging to the Ignite name without conviction or purpose, just living on inertia—a mere ember. I’m nothing like you, always burning so brightly…)

Now, she understood.

Why she’d always been so irritated by that guy—Glenn.

It was because—they were similar.

To the way Lydia once was, the ideal Eve had aspired to and failed to reach.

(…Saying it now is pointless.)

It seemed her time was up.

Her heat-addled thoughts, the crimson world—everything was fading, turning white.

Hot. Painful. Agonizing. …Enough already…

For a fake like me, didn’t I do pretty well?

With that final thought, trying to convince herself,

Eve was about to abandon all thought—

—when it happened.

 

“I don’t think that’s true, Eve.”

 

The flames enveloping Eve’s body—

For some reason, it felt as if they were casually speaking to her.

“I don’t think you’re a fake Ignite at all.”

(…Who’s there?)

In her already hazy, faltering consciousness, Eve asked carelessly.

But the “voice” didn’t answer her question, continuing to speak one-sidedly.

“Eve, you’re too obsessed with the Ignite name.”

“I told you before, didn’t I? What really matters is how you live. Walking the path you believe is right… That’s the true path the Ignite name represents.”

(…)

“Hehe, even that boy you’re a bit curious about said something like that recently, didn’t he? Have you already forgotten, Eve?”

…What was this?

This faintly annoying, overly familiar “voice.”

Well, it was probably just a hallucination heard on the brink of death, or perhaps a daydream.

But… it felt nostalgic.

I’ve always wanted to hear this “voice”—

“You’re too serious, or maybe too stubborn… You should relax a bit, live more carefree…”

(…)

“No, that’s not right… You’re kind, Eve… You’ve always, always been working so hard for me, haven’t you? Trying to be an Ignite for my sake…?”

(…)

“Thank you. And I’m sorry… It’s okay now. You can fight for the path you want to live, for what you believe is right… It’s okay, Eve.”

To the “voice” saying such things, Eve weakly shook her head.

(You’re giving me too much credit. I’m a fake. I still don’t know the path I should live or what’s right… I don’t know anything…)

To Eve, lamenting like this,

“That’s a lie.”

The “voice” gently admonished her.

“You don’t need to lie, Eve. You’ve already… long ago found your way of living, your true path, haven’t you?”

“Come on, think back. To what makes you you right now.”

(——!?)

At the “voice’s” prompting,

A torrent of images flooded Eve’s mind.

 

—The scenery of Alzano Imperial Magic Academy—

 

—The smiling faces of the students who looked up to her as their instructor—

 

—Sistine, Rumia, Re=L—

 

—The comrades from the Special Missions Annex who, even after her demotion, acknowledged her as one of them and rushed to her side, understanding her intentions—

 

—That infuriating, insufferable, good-for-nothing face that, despite always getting on her nerves, was always on her side, no matter how much of a mess she was—

 

Right now, she had so many precious things. Things she wanted to protect.

That feeling alone—was not a “fake” in the slightest.

It was, without a doubt—“real.”

(…What do I want? What do I want to do for them? How do I repay those who filled my empty heart? My path—)

As Eve questioned herself,

“…You found your answer, didn’t you…”

The “voice” said gently.

“Hehe, you’re going to be fine now… Come on, stand up, Eve…”

“B-but!”

Eve shouted.

“What am I supposed to do, as weak as I am!?”

“You’ll be fine, Eve. You can do it… You know why, don’t you?”

“…!?”

At the “voice’s” words, Eve’s heart skipped a beat.

“You’re such a kind person… Deep down, unconsciously, you’ve been hesitating, haven’t you? You don’t need to waver anymore… Okay?”

“But if I do that… I…!”

As Eve started to say something, hesitated, and faltered,

The “voice” spoke gently, as if understanding everything.

“I won’t resent you for anything.”

Instantly, Eve froze, as if struck.

Tears began to spill, streaming down her face.

“No… I don’t want that…”

The tears evaporated as soon as they fell—but they wouldn’t stop.

“No… No…! The Ignite name will end… It’ll be gone… Is that really okay!? Wasn’t it something irreplaceable to you!?”

“The Ignite name won’t end. As long as you’re here, the path will continue…”

“~~~ !?”

“The house itself may fall. But the true meaning of the Ignite name… its aspiration… will surely live on in you… and be passed down to your descendants… forever.”

“A-ahhh…”

“Eve, I entrust everything to you… Please carry the true Ignite… into the future… I’m counting on you, my dear—”

The “voice”—was fading away.

She could no longer hear it. What was that “voice”?

But what was entrusted was a will, and what remained was resolve.

A flood of emotions filled Eve’s heart to bursting.

Unable to contain the overflowing feelings, she distilled them into a single word.

Eve—roared.

No more hesitation. She wouldn’t allow herself to hesitate.

Raising her left arm—she bellowed with all her soul.

 

“—Nee-saaaaaan!”

 

Instantly, bam!

The sea of hellish flames that had filled everything split in two.

The flames that had embraced Eve, intent on burning her to ash, were blown away in all directions.

“W-what!? No way!”

Lydia, who had been controlling the inferno with the Family Secret Spell [Seventh Garden], let out a cry of shock.

“She used my domain to activate [Seventh Garden] herself!? She stole the domain!?”

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

With tears evaporating in the heat, Eve roared.

Feeling the long-lost sensation of mana flowing through her left arm, she channeled every ounce of her mana into it, letting it surge—then swung it down in one swift motion.

The raging inferno in the air—now surged entirely toward Lydia—

 

The Family Secret Spell [Seventh Garden].

It was, truly, the hallmark of the Ignite name—its very symbol.

But ever since Jatice severed her left arm, Eve had been plagued by doubt and conflict.

She had lost sight of her identity as an Ignite.

As a result, she had lost the magical ability in her left hand, and with it, [Seventh Garden].

But now, there was no more hesitation—

Because she had found it. A new path for Ignite.

The path she would walk.

 

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

“Kuh…!?”

The stunned Lydia desperately tried to wrest back control of the [Seventh Garden] domain, manipulating her mana and attempting to interfere with the spell.

But—it wouldn’t stop.

Lydia was no match for the overwhelming momentum of Eve, who was operating [Seventh Garden] with her entire being—

Now, 《Endless Crimson Purgatory・Seventh Garden》 embraced—Lydia.

“—Ah—”

Lydia’s body was enveloped in ultra-high-temperature flames.

Eve’s mana, layered atop Lydia’s, created a synergistic effect, producing infinite heat that pierced through all magical defenses, delivering a fatal blow in a single strike.

“It’s over.”

Before Eve, who declared this,

“…!?”

Lydia froze, her expression one of disbelief, and her form… began to fade.

Her silhouette melted into the flames, vanishing completely.

Slowly, slowly… without leaving even a speck of ash.

“Goodbye, Nee-san.”

At this point, victory was assured.

But, staying vigilant, Eve glared at Lydia… when suddenly,

Lydia, fading into the flames, softly broke into a smile.

“…You’ve… grown strong… Eve…”

It wasn’t the artificial smile she’d shown before.

It was endlessly gentle… calm, and nostalgic.

“…Thank you…”

“~~~ !?”

There was no time to question her true intentions.

Before Eve could respond—

Lydia vanished completely into the glowing crimson flames—

 

“…”

—Silence.

At the center of a world reduced to ashes, where the flames that had dyed everything crimson had vanished,

Eve stood lost in thought for a moment.

(Nee-san’s《Endless Crimson Purgatory・Seventh Garden》… Why didn’t I get burnt to ash? I should’ve been reduced to cinders in an instant…)

She pondered.

(That “voice” I heard in the flames…?)

She pondered.

(Those final words… calling my name…)

And that gentle smile she showed in her final moment.

…She pondered.

That Lydia—created by [Project: Revive Life]—was almost certainly a fake. Eve was convinced of it.

That Lydia was not the sister she knew.

Her mind and memories were copied and tampered with; she was, in essence, a different person. She had to be.

But,

It was also true that fragments of her sister Lydia’s soul and memories had been used in that fake.

Which meant,

Perhaps, just maybe,

In that final moment alone—

….

“…Kuh!”

Eve wiped away the tears spilling freely.

“This isn’t the time to cry…! I can’t be crying…!”

Holding back her tears—Eve activated 《Gale Kick》 and leaped.

Cloaked in fierce winds, she sped through the charred city at breakneck speed.

Regarding that Lydia—various possibilities, various hypotheses could be made.

But—it’s already futile.

Verifying the truth of it will forever be impossible.

The reality lies shrouded in darkness—and it’s a matter that has been settled for eternity.

She was merely a traitor who defied Her Majesty, the Queen—and I was the one who vanquished her.

In the end, that’s all there is to it.

More importantly—

“It’s not over… it’s not over yet… right now…!”

Eve hurries toward the man who, in all likelihood, still foolishly believes in her with unwavering honesty.

She runs with singular determination—

 

“Gaaahhh!? Urgh…!”

Glenn clutches his scorched left arm, dropping to one knee and hunching over in pain.

“Hah! I’ve taken out the left arm you use to wield magic. It’s over!”

Lord Ignite’s mocking laughter echoes through the blazing world.

“But you really are a stubborn fool. I’ll give you credit for that one thing alone!”

“Shut up, you piece of trash…”

“You should’ve just given up already. If you had, you wouldn’t have to suffer so pointlessly.”

Glenn’s condition is dire.

Severe burns mark his body in countless places.

His left arm is nearly carbonized, beyond the point where even magic could heal it.

And, of course, not a single one of his lifeline magic crystals remains.

The [Tri-Resist], infused with Rumia’s ability and barely protecting Glenn’s body, will soon lose its effect.

The moment it fades will be the moment Glenn vanishes from this world, leaving not even a speck of ash behind.

“I see. So even in this pathetic state, you still want to defeat me? To avenge the woman you once loved? Hmph, how comical. How frustrating it must be—to die powerless before my overwhelming might.”

Yet Glenn’s lips curl into a fearless grin.

“Avenge… huh. Well, sure, that’s part of it. But honestly, in my mind, Sera’s true killer was Jatice… you’re just a bonus. Getting a bit full of yourself, aren’t you, old man?”

“What did you say…?”

“Right now, the reason I’m struggling so pathetically… it’s for my students. And because I believe in her.

She’ll definitely come back. As long as she’s here… I can take you down.”

“…Bluffing, are you? A third-rate mage like you, defeat me?”

“Whether it’s a bluff or not, why don’t you find out?”

“Hmph, acting all high and mighty. How utterly infuriating. Why do you carry yourself with such arrogance? You’re just a brat who’s barely lived two decades!”

“Right back at you. You’ve lived for ages, so why are you still so childish?”

“…You insolent…!”

As if reaching the peak of his irritation, a surge of incandescent flames erupts around Lord Ignite.

“Enough! Die! Disappear!”

The flames surge like a tsunami, rushing toward Glenn from all directions to engulf him.

The world—dyes itself crimson—

—But.

“Sorry, old man.”

In the face of such a hopeless scene, Glenn suddenly flashes a sly grin.

“This is our win.”

“…What… did you say…!?”

Lord Ignite’s abyssal eyes widen as if witnessing something unbelievable.

The flames he commands—fail to reach Glenn.

As if blocked by an invisible barrier, they halt in their tracks.

And—behind Glenn, still on one knee, a figure has appeared unnoticed.

Its identity—

“—E-Eve!?”

“…”

Eve stands with her left arm thrust forward, a magical array unfurled at her palm.

“…Kept you waiting?”

“Yeah, you’re late.”

“As tactless as ever, huh? Normally, a guy would deny it, wouldn’t he?”

“Why bother acting gentlemanly with you?”

“Idiot.”

“Still, what’s this? I’m kinda shocked… you’ve brought something way beyond my wildest imagination, haven’t you?”

Glenn’s eyes flick to Eve’s left arm, pulsing with magical energy.

“I thought having you here might give us a shot… but this? This is way more than a shot.”

“…”

Eve responds to Glenn with silence.

Sensing something, Glenn falls quiet for a moment before asking her,

“…You okay? …Can you do this?”

“Obviously.”

“Then I’m counting on you. …I’ll finish this.”

After that brief exchange,

Glenn takes a deep breath and rises to his feet.

He begins walking slowly toward Lord Ignite.

As he moves, he carefully loads fresh ammunition into his antique percussion revolver.

Into one of the six chambers of the revolving cylinder, he pours a special charge from a portable powder flask…

But Lord Ignite isn’t one to idly watch Glenn’s leisurely actions.

“Hmph, you’re full of openings, you fool.”

Naturally, Lord Ignite manipulates the flames.

A raging inferno, as if to burn the very world to cinders, surges forth—threatening to swallow Glenn and Eve—

Yet the flames never touch them, stopping dead in their tracks.

Moreover—

“W-What!? M-My body won’t move…!?”

—Incredibly, Lord Ignite’s movements come to a complete halt.

It’s as if he’s been bound by an invisible force, frozen in place.

While Lord Ignite remains immobilized, Glenn blows a spherical bullet from his mouth into the cylinder, then snaps the loading lever under the barrel to press the bullet deep into the chamber.

Attaching a percussion cap to the rear of the cylinder, he continues his slow march toward Lord Ignite.

…Slowly.

“What!? What the hell is happening!?”

“It’s useless, Father,”

Eve says flatly to Lord Ignite, who trembles at the unexpected turn of events.

“This entire area is already under the influence of my domain—[Seventh Garden].”

“What…!?”

“Within this domain, I can manipulate and dominate all flames without incantations. Every flame becomes my limbs, my servant. And—”

Eve gazes coldly at Lord Ignite.

At the transformed figure of her once-father, now a demon of fire.

“You’ve abandoned your humanity, haven’t you, Father? You’ve changed so much. That form—it’s as if you’ve become flame itself.”

“~~~~ !?”

“…What a pity. If you hadn’t cast aside your humanity, I might not have realized it.”

At that moment,

Lord Ignite’s expression twists unmistakably into despair.

His body, now completely under Eve’s control, refuses to move.

And Glenn, advancing like a reaper’s march, draws ever closer.

The sight of the “Mage-Killer”, renowned for his unmatched ability to slay those far stronger, fills Lord Ignite with unmistakable terror—

“E-Eve!? W-Wait…!”

Lord Ignite cries out in a frenzied panic.

“I-It’s an order…! Eve, save me! Can’t you hear my command!?”

But—

Eve lets out a single sigh, responding with a melancholic tone.

“Sorry, but… I’m done with that.”

“~~~~ !?”

Eve had, to some extent, discerned the nature of the curse that had bound her.

It was likely a spell that used “adoration, fear, and loyalty toward the name Ignite” as a wedge to shackle the target’s mind, forcing obedience.

With such specific conditions, once ensnared, the compulsion must have been extraordinarily powerful.

The mechanism Lord Ignite used to control his army was probably the same.

His obsession with achieving feats and elevating the Ignite name was likely to amass more devotees, increasing the pawns he could dominate.

It was an utterly repulsive spell.

Perhaps it was a Secret Family spell, known only to a select few within the family?

But that didn’t matter anymore.

As if severing ties with the tainted Ignite legacy,

And above all, as if bidding farewell to her father,

Eve spoke her final words.

“Goodbye, Father. I… absolutely despised you.”

“E-Eveeeeeeeeeeeeee—!”

As Lord Ignite’s scream echoes,

Glenn, having approached with calm determination, presses the muzzle of his revolver against Lord Ignite’s forehead.

“《Zero’s Focus》—”

Click.

The cold sound of the hammer being cocked sends a shudder through Lord Ignite’s body.

“Hiieee-!? W-Wait—”

Ignoring him—Glenn pulls the trigger.

“—[Fool’s Penetrator]”

 

Boom!

 

The magical bullet, imbued with [Stagnation and Cessation of Change], unleashes its deadly force.

The lethal poison to a demon finally roars to life—