Even so, Luary refused to retreat.
In place of her missing left arm, fresh flames billowed from her back, reconstructing her form to compensate for the loss.
"The two of us can take her!" Shion shouted, gathering Ice Seirei around her.
"Hah... hah..."
Beside her, Luna was gasping for air. Her shoulders heaved with every breath, and the sweat on her cheeks glittered under the radiance of the White Chalk Light.
(Luna is exhausted...)
Shion’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her first time using Moon Spirit Harmony: Lunania had drained Luna’s stamina more than Shion had anticipated.
"I’m okay, Shion-san. I can still fight," Luna insisted, once again gathering light in her palms.
However, the surface of the sea beneath her feet wobbled for a moment—clear proof that her control over her mana was faltering. At this rate, Luna would collapse before the enemy did. Shion reached a decision instantly.
"Luna, I need to confirm two things. First, are Orun and Oliver out of the Phoenix Shrine as well?"
As ice crystals shattered around them, Shion asked the question while briefly steadying her breath. Her gaze never wavered from Luary. Even as the wind pressure and heat seared her skin, her voice rang out with dignity.
"Um... yes. Those two should be fighting elsewhere," Luna answered immediately, despite her heavy breathing.
"I see. Then there's no one else there," Shion said with a brief nod.
There was neither impatience nor hesitation in her expression. Her eyes remained focused, purely seeking the next move as she organized the situation.
"Second: do you have a magic spell that can defeat Luary in a single blow?"
The question was detached, but behind it lay the weight of a desperate decision.
"...I can’t say for certain, but I have a spell that should be able to neutralize her. However, in my current state, I would need a considerable amount of time to prepare it. In the middle of combat, it's simply..."
Luna bit her lip and looked down, her voice tinged with hesitation. Shion narrowed her eyes slightly and brushed back her hair against the howling wind. She nodded quietly.
"I understand. I will create that time." Shion looked straight at Luna. "So, Luna, no matter what happens, you must complete that spell."
At those words, Luna’s heart throbbed with resolve. "Understood!"
Luna began to manipulate the surrounding spirits, heightening her concentration. Simultaneously, Shion closed the distance in a single burst of speed. As Luary let out a roar, Shion quietly wove her magic.
"—Absolute Zero."
In an instant, heat was stripped from the world. The air thrummed and the surface of the sea froze instantly. Normally, this was a spell of extreme cold that would lock all existence into a deathly silence. However, Luary’s flames burned intensely as if to reject the frost, preventing her from freezing completely. Even so, the air grew frigid, and the rain turned into hail. Shion’s hair swayed in the chill as ice crystals scattered in the wind.
"...If this is all you've got—" Luary spat, swinging her flaming arm.
Just as a torrent of fire began to form—
"—Great River of Frozen Time: Stillness."
Shion’s next spell activated. Countless shards of ice emitted a brilliant light, and massive blocks of ice manifested. Luary’s body was encased in a cage of ice, halting her movements. Though trapped in the ice blocks that froze time itself, Luary's eyes were still moving. A red light flickered slowly within the frost.
"...It's still not enough, then."
Shion exhaled a small breath. A moment later, Luary’s flames erupted from inside the ice, and cracks began to spiderweb across the surface.
"At this rate... before my magic is complete, Luary will...!" Luna cried out in a panic.
But Shion offered a defiant smile. "No problem. I only needed those few seconds."
At that moment, the surrounding Ice Seirei gathered into a single point. The flames erupted outward, shattering the ice blocks, but Shion simply raised her staff toward them and spoke the name of the spell.
"—Frozen Prison Miniature Garden: Fimbulvetr."
In the next instant, everything in the world froze.
Sound vanished, the wind stopped, and light ceased its movement. It was Shion’s ultimate magic—the ability to interfere with the Principles of Magic to bring the progression of time as close to zero as possible. It was a spell she could never have used unless the Phoenix Shrine was vacant.
In a world where everything had stopped, only Shion, Luna, and the spirits they controlled remained in motion. The sky, the sea, the flames—everything was stationary, enveloped in a faint blue light.
"Is this... what you meant by 'creating time'?" Luna murmured.
Shion smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes. Until your magic is complete—I have stopped the world's time."
Luna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Spirits flocked to her, and White Chalk Light converged at her chest. Finally, the magic was ready.
"—Radiance of White Chalk: Amaterasu."
The world began to move again.
At the very instant the flame demon shattered the ice and prepared to roar, White Chalk Light poured down from the heavens. It pierced the dark clouds and swallowed Luary whole. The overwhelming light gouged the sea in silence. Even as it tore through the ocean, the brilliance did not fade.
When the world finally caught its breath, all that remained were shattered fragments of ice and a silenced sea. The dark clouds covering the sky slowly parted, and rays of Yang light shone through.
"Hah... hah..."
『...Any more than this and Luna's body won't hold out.』
Pixie separated from Luna as she reached her limit. Her hair returned to its deep indigo color, and though she was breathing raggedly, she did not lower her guard. Staring at the surface of the sea, she extinguished the remaining White Chalk Light in her hand.
Then—
"...Ugh, ah...!"
A faint voice reached Luna's ears. She turned to see Shion losing her balance in the air a short distance away. Clutching her chest, Shion let out a pained breath. Cold air erupted from her entire body, and mana raged beneath her skin. This was the price of Fimbulvetr—the backlash from forcibly interfering with the laws of the world was now ravaging Shion’s body.
"Shion-san!"
Luna reflexively glided through the air to catch her. The moment she got close, she saw blood dripping from Shion's right eye—likely the result of overusing her Seirei Eyes during the battle. The crimson droplets traced down her cheek, sparkling like ice before they scattered.
"...I'm... fine... It's just... like a seizure... that's all..." Shion’s lips trembled as she tried to force a smile. Her body had exceeded its limit, and she suddenly succumbed to gravity.
"—Shion-san!"
Luna extended both arms and caught her as she fell. The cold air radiating from Shion bit into Luna's skin; her body felt as cold as ice itself. Fortunately, despite her suffering, her breathing remained steady.
(At this rate... I have to get her to a place where she can rest!)
Just as Luna prepared to head toward Kyokutou while cradling Shion, a sharp killing intent ran down her spine. Turning reflexively, she gasped.
"No way... How..."
Luary was standing upon the scorched surface of the sea. Her body was crumbling and her flames flickered weakly, yet a burning fighting spirit still dwelled in her eyes.
"...You've really... done it now." Her voice was hoarse, but her heat remained ferocious.
Luna caught her breath. Her own physical strength was near its end.
『...Luna! Lend me your mana!』 Pixie’s panicked voice echoed inside Luna’s head. As a fairy, Pixie could not interfere with the physical world on her own; she needed a human medium like Luna to manifest magic.
"I'm sorry... I don't even have the strength left to give power to Pixie... But I won't give up!"
Luary raised both hands. Flames were born once again, and the air above the sea distorted. Even so, Luna prepared to stand her ground while holding Shion.
"—That is enough."
The quiet voice of a man changed the atmosphere of the battlefield instantly. A red cloak fluttering, a black shadow descended as if gliding through the sky. A man with no distinguishing features—Solda. He landed just above the water's surface, stepping beside Luary. Behind him stood five young boys and girls, standing in line without expression, as if merely waiting for orders.
"...You're just a doll. What authority do you have to give me orders?" Luary growled. "If you order me again—I'll turn you to ash."
Despite the threat, Solda didn't move a single eyebrow. "Please calm down. We have achieved our objective for now." He continued in a persuasive tone. "Besides, your Vessel is complete. With that body, you must be at your limit, yes?"
Luary’s flames wavered. She was well aware that the mana inside her was on the verge of collapsing, but her frustration would not let her stop.
"...I don't care if I'm at my limit. Those two are also in tatters. I can at least turn them into cinders."
Solda exhaled a sigh and shrugged his shoulders slightly. He turned his gaze toward Luna and Shion. "It is true that they appear quite exhausted....Very well then, please finish this quickly."
The corners of Luary’s mouth curled up. Her flames flared once more, scorching the air. Luna grit her teeth and tried to retreat while holding Shion.
(No, I can't dodge it!)
At the very moment the torrent of flames surged toward them—
"—Evil-Bane Heavenly Flash!"
A low, certain voice resonated across the water. Blue-black mana cleaved the sea and swallowed the flames. As if blowing away the white steam, a single man descended. Clad in a jet-black Magic Raiment and carrying a Magic Sword, Orun had returned.