"Boom!"
Earth-shattering collisions unfolded in a space sealed by an invisible field!
Two girls, seemingly similar in age, around fifteen or sixteen, engaged in a physical clash in an unmanned mountain clearing.
Vast magic power swirled and erupted between their fists and feet! Fist met fist, erupting in a storm of flying sand and rolling stones! Leg intertwined with leg, causing shattering rocks and ground tremors!
"Wrong, wrong, wrong! Aoko, you're getting impatient again! Only attacking and not defending, advancing without retreating, isn't just blindly striking! You must evade attacks that don't need to be confronted. Blind clashes will only disrupt your offensive rhythm!..."
Abnormally, the relatively small girl, in turn, lectured the relatively older one. As if to prove the other's mistake, the smaller figure's hand and foot attacks instantly changed. The magical power, originally compressed and solidified like armor, which would have collided and canceled out with the opponent's attacks, now turned her hands into sharp knives, directly piercing through the magical power enveloping the opponent's body. She instantly stopped the opponent's vital joints, dislocating the opponent's arm with a 'crack.' Taking advantage of the distraction caused by the severe pain, a powerful, mountain-splitting magical punch landed on the older girl's chest!
The powerful thrust sent Aoko flying backward, breaking three trees before finally hitting the trunk of a large, embracing tree. She slid down, collapsing at the base of the tree.
Rin walked to the base of the giant tree, which was swaying and rustling from Aoko's impact. She looked up at the withered leaves falling with the wind. The yellowed fallen leaves reminded Rin like a death knell that Touko's return was not far off... Rin looked at Aoko worriedly, reaching out to cast Healing Magic to treat her injuries. Aoko, usually vibrant and cheerful, was now silent and in low spirits. Her bangs covered her face, so her expression was unclear, but for the always lively and energetic Aoko to be like this, it was clear how great a blow she had endured.
The only method Rin could think of now was to help Aoko quickly improve her strength, making it as likely as possible for Aoko to win outright in her confrontation with Touko. This would prove that Aoko had the strength to protect the Magic Crest of the Fifth Magic, giving her time to slowly comprehend and link with the Fifth Magic.
But facts proved that this was merely Rin's fantasy. Strength improvement absolutely does not happen just because one says so; it's not like in novels where a major battle or a near-death experience can lead to an explosive burst. Rin herself had experienced such situations, but the reason it happened was due to her continuous, day-and-night efforts and accumulation, allowing for a breakthrough after a crisis. But did Aoko have any accumulation to speak of?
Aozaki Aoko has only been in the mysterious world for two years. The reason she has achieved her current results is already due to relying on the Magic Crest of the Fifth Magic, inherently close to the truth of the Root. It can be said that Aoko's progress in strength is even faster than Rin's! She reached the level of a Magus (of course, destructive magic) in less than a year, but she herself has no research into mysteries, and her understanding of mysteries can be said to be completely blank.
Aoko's strength can be entirely attributed to drawing upon the reserves of her Magic Crest. And now, for her strength to advance steadily is already good; to expect a breakthrough in a short time is absolutely impossible!
Unless she masters the Fifth Magic... The Aozaki Aoko who dominates the world is Magus Aozaki Aoko, not Magus Aozaki Aoko. Without the Fifth Magic, Aozaki Aoko can only be considered a decent Magus, and a half-baked one at that, with extremely fatal flaws.
Aoko can only use magical power in a destructive way. This conclusion was reached after Rin and Alice repeatedly verified and discussed it; it has nothing to do with Aoko's focus or effort, but is an inherent characteristic. Aoko cannot cast any charm, curse, amplification, healing, defense, necromancy, prophecy... and a series of other magics. She can only cast offensive and destructive magic, which means Aoko must absolutely crush her opponents with overwhelming power and destructiveness. If an opponent can match Aoko in destruction and attack power, then Aoko will surely lose.
This requirement can only be met by Aoko after she obtains the Fifth Magic, when she can manipulate the lines of time and summon her past and future selves to descend. The current Aoko is merely a half-baked Magus.
Aoko sighed as if deflated, resting her head decadently against the tree trunk behind her. She looked up at the high, distant blue sky, white clouds, and scattered yellow leaves, saying, "Rin, do you think magic is really that important?"
Rin paused slightly and said, "Magic is a miracle that humans can absolutely never achieve. It is an existence that Maguss can only ever approach but never touch. It is the gateway and shortcut to the Root, the highest and ultimate pursuit. Do you think it's important?"
Aoko pulled up her sleeve, revealing the Magic Crest etched from the back of her left hand to her forearm. Due to the flow of magical power, it was currently still glowing with magical light.
The Magic Crest of the Fifth Magic!
Even Rin, who knew everything, couldn't help but feel a covetous desire to possess it when observing it at such close range. The profoundness and mystery of magic can only be truly understood after encountering the mysterious world—how powerful and untouchable a goal and existence it is.
Aoko stared blankly at the crest on her hand, then suddenly spoke to Rin, "Rin, how about I give it to you?"
"!"
Rin stared at Aoko's face, dumbfounded. Girl, this is the Fifth Magic! It's your family heirloom! You're just giving it away?!
Rin looked at Aoko's once vibrant and innocent pretty face, now only showing a layer of sadness hidden beneath her calm demeanor. Her unfocused pupils gazed at the sky, but what was reflected was certainly not the scene before her eyes.
Aoko quietly closed her eyes, then reopened them. It was as if she saw two small figures chasing each other in the distance, amidst the vast expanse of withered yellow leaves. A pair of young sisters, simply laughing monotonously among the fallen leaves, chasing until sunset.
"Older Sister, I need to go home for dinner."
"Hmm, Aoko, be careful. I have to hurry back to the bamboo house; I can't let Grandpa find out."
"If it's too much trouble, I won't bother you anymore, Older Sister."
"It's fine. I'm happy with Aoko. If you have any worries, just come. Older Sister will definitely sneak out."
"..."
In a blink, the two small figures were gone. Things had changed, and only the fallen leaves remained, still withered and yellow. "I once thought I could always rely on her in this life, and never have any worries." A clear tear wet the leaves on the ground.
"People always grow up. When people grow up, dreams shatter," Rin replied earnestly.
"Rin, I don't want this crest. I never wanted it from the beginning. From childhood until that birthday, I always thought it should be hers."
"I know."
"But why did that old geezer suddenly give it to me! I don't want this..."
"I understand."
"Rin, I don't want it. How about I give it to you?"
"I don't want it."
"Why? Isn't it every Magus's dream? Don't you want it?"
"I do, but you need it more."
"But I don't want it!" Aoko suddenly lost control, tearing at her hair and shouting like a willful, temperamental child, "I don't want it, I don't want it, I don't want it! Whoever wants it, take it! Magical power, magic, Fifth Magic, I don't care about any of it! I want my peaceful life of 16 years back, I want that silly, clumsy, naive but reliable Older Sister! I want her more..."
Rin reached out and firmly held the wildly struggling Aoko. Without magical power, Aoko was just a high school girl with a bit more strength. Rin forcefully pulled Aoko into her embrace, holding Aoko's long hair, and whispered softly into Aoko's ear:
"Me too. Compared to this crest, I want a healthy Aoko more..."
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