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"Ugh…"
Burnt black and lying on the ground, Stiyl clutched at his bleeding wound, struggling to raise his head, his eyes burning with rage as he glared at Fang Li.
"Bas…tard…"
Hearing words that were no different from a curse, Fang Li calmly lowered the gun he had raised, gave the collapsed Stiyl a sidelong glance, and tossed out a line.
"Perhaps it feels a bit too straightforward for a Magician, but this is the Science Side's way. Since you stepped into this realm, you'll just have to accept it."
Those words were almost identical to what Stiyl himself had declared when he first appeared.
"Khah…!"
Stiyl spat out a mouthful of blood. His head drooped to the side, heavy with unwillingness and resentment, and he fainted.
Only Index was left, flustered.
"Th-this… this is enough to defeat him? No way, that has to be a lie!"
Hearing this, Fang Li replied indifferently.
"Who told this so-called Magician to just charge in without thinking? Isn't that basically asking for it?"
As someone whose close-combat ability already surpassed martial arts grandmasters like Fan Xinglu, there was no way Fang Li wouldn't see Stiyl's weakness.
This flame-system Magician's magic was certainly formidable, but his physical ability didn't match his towering frame. It was barely any better than the average person you'd see walking down the street.
How could a Magician like that possibly dodge a bullet?
If Stiyl had simply stuck to ranged magic, he might have been fine.
But the moment he created a Flame Sword and charged straight at Fang Li, it was impossible not to be taken down with one shot.
After all, while Fang Li excelled in close-quarters combat, he was originally a Butei, using a gun was hardly something strange.
In fact, it was even convenient. It masked his abilities, and even if illegal firearm possession came under scrutiny, it was still common enough among non-Ableist armed groups that it wouldn't draw too much attention.
Fang Li's reasoning left Index visibly shaken.
"Th-that's true… This Magician used Rune cards and encrypted spells. Such magic is powerful, but it consumes an immense amount of Magic Power. And Magic Power itself must be converted from Life Force within the body. If the consumption is too great, the constant generation of Magic Power places immense strain on the Magician, draining their vitality and leaving them unable to strengthen their physical abilities."
Even as she explained, Index's expression betrayed her inability to accept this outcome.
In her eyes, battles between Magicians weren't supposed to be like this.
Magicians usually had countless techniques at their disposal, unlike Espers who were bound to a single ability.
Which meant that for Magicians, battles were really battles of wits.
When the enemy used offensive magic, one had to predict their moves and weave counter-spells.
When the enemy used defensive magic, one had to analyze the structure of their spells and dismantle them.
Unlike simple martial arts, magic demanded constant analysis of shifting circumstances, keen eyes to discern the opponent's spell construction, and the ability to devise strategies in response.
As long as one could see through every spell the opponent cast, they could essentially remain undefeated.
By that logic, Stiyl should have been a very difficult opponent.
Because Stiyl was a Rune Magician.
From the Rune cards he used, Index could confirm that this Magician had completely mastered the twenty-four existing runes, perhaps even developed new runes with unique power. He was, without a doubt, a genius among Magicians.
Such a Magician shouldn't be defeated so easily.
And yet… he had been felled by a single handgun.
Perhaps noticing Index's inner turmoil, Fang Li spoke again, "Being smart is a good thing, but fools have their own ways too. Some matters are simple, yet clever people like to overthink them. That's what they call a clever person who may become the victim of his own ingenuity. Anyway, now's not the time to stand around chatting. If you don't want to be taken away, run while you still can."
With that, Fang Li ignored Index and turned to leave on his own.
"W-wait…!"
Index hurried after him.
Not long after, the alley returned to silence.
Soon, a figure leapt down from the rooftop of a nearby building at incredible speed, landing beside Stiyl.
The newcomer was an exquisitely beautiful Eastern girl.
Her long, glossy black hair was tied into a ponytail, flowing like water down her back. She was tall and slender, wearing worn denim pants and a white short-sleeved T-shirt. The hem of her top was tied around her waist, exposing her midriff. The left pant leg was cut all the way up to the thigh, leaving it bare, and she wore knee-high boots, giving her a distinctly avant-garde appearance.
Most striking of all was the weapon at her waist: a katana over two meters long, secured in a leather sheath.
Seeing Stiyl lying on the ground, bleeding from his abdomen, with the scorched alley slowly dyed red, the girl gasped in shock.
"Stiyl!"
Her cry made the fire-wielding Magician's hand tremble slightly, finally showing signs of movement.
"Kanzaki…?" Stiyl murmured weakly.
"I-I'm… sorry… I… failed…"
One sentence explained the whole situation.
"…I understand."
The girl named Kanzaki closed her eyes briefly, then reopened them, her expression calm once more.
"Anyway, let's heal you first."
"There's plenty of time anyway."
With that, Kanzaki helped Stiyl to his feet, leapt with tremendous force, and bounded up to the rooftops, disappearing into the alley.
"Shuā!"
Seconds later, a petite girl appeared as if by teleportation.
"Th-this…!"
Seeing the blackened alley and the bloodied ground, Shirai Kuroko's youthful, charming face instantly changed.
"Wh-what… happened?"
While chasing Fang Li, Shirai Kuroko had faintly heard the sound of an explosion, prompting her to come quickly.
But upon arriving, the scene before her was this.
"That damn guy… could it be that he got into a fight with someone?"
Shirai Kuroko furrowed her beautiful brows.
"No matter what, this is no longer something I can handle alone. I'll report this to the higher-ups and have someone come to document the scene."
"That idiot delinquent… if he really did something criminal, don't blame me if my subordinates show no mercy."
With that, Shirai Kuroko took out her cell phone and began contacting her superiors.
The first day of summer vacation quietly began amid this unrest.
And this also signaled one thing:
The quiet arrival of change.
(End Of This Chapter)