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My ancestor was the figure known as "the Witch," the woman who fought the Evil God alongside the Fairy Tale Hero—the King of Special Ability Users.
However, with history distorted and her legacy buried by a false narrative, there was now no one left who knew the truth.
I was an Atavism of the Witch, born with an affinity for mana that served as proof of my bloodline, as well as the ability 【Time Rewind】.
To the members of Amunzaas, who had tasted nothing but the bitterness of defeat, it seemed that Oliver—born as a pseudo-Atavism of the Hero—and I were their last vestiges of hope. Throughout our childhood, Oliver and I bore the full weight of those expectations.
And we were constantly on the verge of being crushed by them.
I found myself wondering who I really was. I wondered if there was any meaning to my existence other than being "the Witch."
I believed Oliver felt the same way.
It was during that time that Orun spoke to us, his eyes burning with a straightforward intensity.
—"I'll shout 'you're wrong' and deny it as many times as it takes! Shion is Shion, and Oliver is Oliver. There's no reason you have to do what the adults tell you!"
—"If those radicals won't stop talking nonsense to you two, then I’ll just have to become your King!"
—"I heard a King has a duty to protect his vassals and his people. So, I’ll become your King and protect you both! That’s why you should walk straight down the path you decide for yourselves. No matter what choice you make, I will respect it!"
Looking back, Orun probably already knew then that he was the Atavism of the King of Special Ability Users. That was likely why those words about "becoming a King" came to him, even as a child.
Now that I think about it, Orun's declaration was just a child's pipe dream. In a sense, it was even a bit irresponsible.
Even so, those words meant everything to Oliver and me. It was because of Orun that I was finally able to become Shion.
And at the same time, I realized something else.
Just as I was bound by the legacy of "the Witch," Orun was similarly bound by that of the "King of Special Ability Users."
That was why it was my turn next.
I wanted to catch up to him, to stand where he stood and see the world through his eyes. I wanted to tell him: "Orun is Orun. You don't need to be bound by such things."
For that reason, I had to become strong. If I didn't, my words would never reach him.
I would never leave Orun to stand alone. I would walk that path side-by-side with him—even if the result meant turning the entire world against me.
That was the starting point of my resolve.
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"If our King, Orun, were here right now, he wouldn't run. He would find a way to overcome even a Mana-eater. That’s why I won’t run. If I fled now, it would be the same as admitting that I don't have the qualification to be with him."
...Qualification?
"Yes. The qualification to walk beside him. I don't want to just follow in his wake. I want to stand at his side! That’s why I have to overcome a situation of this level!"
...Heh. You really are that guy's descendant.
Hearing the words I used to fire myself up, Titania gave a faint, weary laugh.
"Silver-hair, what have you been blabbering about? Have you gone crazy because you're scared to die?"
"No, I was just remembering where I started. Sorry to keep you waiting. If you think you can kill me, then give it your best shot."
"Gladly! I'll kill you right now!"
The moment I provoked her, Due lunged. Her face was twisted in a mask of madness as she closed the distance.
The fluid, liquid-like substance extending from Due's elbows to her fingertips—I'll just call it "Magic Water" from now on—shifted, sharpening into jagged blades.
Since she was charging straight at me, I manifested an Ice Wall in her path to obstruct her.
However, as I expected, the wall was useless. Before Due even touched it, a large hole dissolved through the ice, as if it had been touched by white-hot wax. Due passed through the gap without slowing down, narrowing the distance.
I had some training in close combat, but I was nowhere near a master of martial arts like Fuuka. My fighting style was fundamentally built around magic. To compensate, I circulated Ki through my body to boost my agility, ensuring Due couldn't corner me.
Her Mana-eater ability and physical specs were remarkable, but she clearly had no actual combat experience. I saw no trace of tactics in her movements; she was moving purely on instinct.
Due screamed, "Don't run, Silver-hair!" but I ignored her. I fired off a barrage of attack magic from mid-range while focusing entirely on gathering information.
As I moved, I sent a message to Titania via Telepathy.
Titania. Just to confirm—the Mana-eater is a barrier designed to block Fairies who sided with the Evil God, and it also circulates mana within the Sanctuary, right?
Yeah, that's right. Though, since all Fairies currently existing in this dimension are under my management, its function as a barrier is practically vestigial.
In that case, do you think the mana that vanishes here is being circulated through this space?
I can't see the flow of mana here either, so I can't say for sure. But I understand what you're getting at, Shion. It's worth a try. It would also sabotage whatever they're doing on the 1st Floor. Either way, it won't be a waste.
Right. Then, if I see an opening, I'm going for it. Get ready for a Shift.
Understood.
I continued my magical assault while we spoke, but the stalemate persisted. Every spell I cast vanished into the void along with its mana before it could even touch Due.
"Geez! You're so annoying, scurrying around like a bug!"
Frustrated by the distance between us, Due stomped her feet like a child throwing a tantrum.
"Papa asked me to kill you, so I guess I have to..." she muttered ominously. The blades on her arms dissolved back into their original form.
"I don't think you're going to catch me at this rate," I said, provoking her further while keeping my guard up.
"Keep acting tough! It won't last!"
Due snarled and thrust her right arm toward me, palm open.
Is she going for a ranged attack?
She was impulsive and didn't know how to feint, making her easy to read. Her center of gravity was high; she had likely given up on chasing me and switched to attacking from mid-range. I didn't know exactly what she was planning, but this was my chance.
While staying alert to my surroundings, I watched her every move. The five fingers on her right hand transformed into Magic Water. They stretched out, lengthening into whip-like tendrils.
The sharp, pointed tips fanned out to surround me, lunging simultaneously to pierce my vitals. Since they were made of the same mana-erasing Magic Water, I wouldn't be able to use magic if they got too close. By surrounding me, she was forcing me to step into her "null-zone" to dodge.
I see. She isn't completely brainless.
I didn't know if it was an instinctual calculation or a reasoned one, but it didn't matter. It was useless against us.
"Titania!"
I gave the signal just before the point of impact.
【Shift】!
The moment Titania activated the spell, the scenery flickered and changed.
In an instant, I was transported from the entrance of the dome-shaped 3rd Floor to its exact opposite side. Directly in front of me, embedded in the wall, was the Dungeon Core.
"【Explode】!"
I didn't hesitate. I unleashed the spell at point-blank range, shattering the Dungeon Core.
"When did she...?"
Startled by the roar of the explosion, Due whirled around, her voice trailing off in shock.
A Labyrinth was defined by its Dungeon Core. Without one, it lost its functionality. This place was now nothing more than an ordinary underground cavern. The 1st Floor, which relied on overlapping spatial dimensions, would likely be collapsing into a hellscape right about now.
But that was just a side effect. My real goal was to see if Due's Mana-eater ability was tied to the Labyrinth's systems.
If the Cult had faithfully reproduced the original Mana-eater, it should have been neutralized. However, the man from earlier had ordered Due to overrun the Kingdom, which suggested she could fight just fine outside these walls.
As the Dungeon Core shattered, the massive amount of mana it contained began to flood the dome. When mana reached a certain density, it became visible; now, the air was thick with it, drifting like translucent silver smoke.
Yet, even this high-density mana vanished into nothingness the moment it drifted near Due.
It was a long shot, but it looks like the girl's Mana-eater isn't linked to the Labyrinth after all.
The fact that we confirmed that is a victory in itself. Now, the question is where that mana is going.
True. Without a Special Ability, you can't just store that much energy in one place indefinitely. And the chances of her being a natural Special Ability User are practically zero.
"Guh... ugh, aaaah!"
While Titania and I were analyzing the situation, Due suddenly clutched her chest, doubling over in pain.
I tensed, watching her closely. I could feel mana—massive amounts of it—coalescing around her mouth.
The mana around her vanishes, so why is it only gathering there?
Due suddenly looked up, her eyes locking onto mine. She unhinged her jaw and let out a guttural scream.
In response, the mana at her mouth condensed into a sphere of pure destruction and hurtled toward me. It was less like a spell and more like the breath of an ancient Dragon.
"Ngh!"
I threw myself to the side, narrowly clearing the line of fire.
Due's breath gouged through the stone floor and blasted a three-meter hole into the far wall. The spot where I had been standing a heartbeat ago was vaporized in a vortex of raw energy.
"Phew... Much better!"
Due wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, looking strangely refreshed after unleashing such devastation.
That power is insane.
Yeah. A direct hit would be the end of me. —But I think I've found a breakthrough.
I still didn't fully understand the mechanics of her Mana-eater, but if she was a Majin, then the flow of mana followed a predictable logic. I would have to push myself to the limit, but I was ready for that.
"Silver-hair, you look awfully calm."
"That's because I'm starting to figure you out. I'm sorry, but I don't have a way to save you. So, at the very least, I'll make sure your death is quick."
"Kill me? Ahaha! What are you talking about? Your attacks don't work! You've done nothing but run away. You can't kill me! —In fact, you're the one who's about to die, Silver-hair!"
I braced myself at her words, but then I heard it—a wet, squirming sound from inside the wall behind me.
"—!?"
My instincts screamed. I kicked off the ground, desperate to put distance between myself and the wall.
But the spike of Magic Water that erupted from the stone was faster.
In the back of my mind, I knew that Magic Water erased mana. I knew it. But the habits forged through years of life-or-death combat were etched into my very soul. Before I could even think, my reflexes took over.
Sensing that I couldn't dodge in time, I instinctively manifested a Magic Barrier.
I can't clear it—!
The Magic Water spike didn't even slow down. it dissolved my barrier into nothingness and drove straight through my body.