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"Should I say, 'Long time no see'?" The magician Stiyl asked faintly.
"Though, if we're being precise, it hasn't really been that long."
After all, summer vacation wasn't over yet. In fact, it had only been about half a month since Stiyl came to Academy City during the Index incident.
However, Fang Li showed no surprise at Stiyl's appearance.
It was as though he had already guessed how things would play out, he merely cast Stiyl a glance before replying in an uninterested tone.
"So that's how it is. You're the errand boy sent by the United Kingdom Puritan Faction to deal with this matter?"
His words lacked enthusiasm, but their very lack of enthusiasm gave the impression that he was looking down on Stiyl.
Naturally, Stiyl didn't take offense.
"At the very least, I assure you, I didn't come here to befriend you."
Lighting a cigarette, he took a drag before exhaling and continuing.
"This isn't the place to talk. Let's change locations. Even though I've suppressed my magic power, there's still a high chance it'll be detected if we stay here."
With that, Stiyl turned on his heel and walked away as if Fang Li's response didn't matter.
Fang Li didn't bother to follow him immediately. He just stood there, staring at the Misawa Cram School in front of him. After a moment, his lips curved faintly.
"Looks like I'll have to get involved in this as well..."
Leaving behind those cryptic words, Fang Li turned and walked away, too.
Pedestrians occasionally cast glances in their direction on the street. It couldn't be helped, as Stiyl's appearance and attire were far too eye-catching.
But Stiyl himself paid it no mind.
If he truly wanted to avoid attention, he could have deployed a People-Clearing Field to drive everyone nearby away.
Clearly, his presence in Academy City had been tacitly approved by the higher-ups.
Of course, that had little to do with Fang Li.
Unconcerned, he simply strode ahead, not caring at all that Stiyl was following behind him.
However, Stiyl wasn't very patient.
"Hey, just how long are you planning to keep walking?" Stiyl asked bluntly. "Where are you going?"
"Home," Fang Li answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Unless you'd rather I stand around here sunbathing?"
"I have no interest in tagging along to your place." Stiyl halted abruptly, cutting him off. "If you want to talk, any place will do."
"Is that so?" Fang Li also stopped and turned to face him with a half-smile. "Don't tell me you're afraid of seeing Index?"
Stiyl's face twitched slightly.
A moment later, the flame magician closed his eyes, took the cigarette out of his mouth, and exhaled.
When he opened his eyes again, they were filled with murderous intent.
"As I thought, I really can't stand you--"
"Boom."
The words had barely left his mouth when there was a loud explosion.
A flare of heat exploded, and flames roared to life in Stiyl's hand. Ignoring the startled cries of nearby students, Stiyl snapped his wrist, sending a surging torrent of fire straight at Fang Li.
The hot wind rolled across the air in waves, and one could easily imagine just how searing the temperature was within that flood of fire.
Yet, facing that inferno hot enough to melt steel, Fang Li's expression didn't so much as flicker.
"BOOM!"
In the next instant, a thunderous impact rang out.
Fang Li launched an attack from beneath his feet, too fast for the naked eye to follow.
By now, he no longer needed to hide the way he once did. He wasn't playing little tricks anymore. With one crushing kick, he shattered the oncoming torrent of fire, scattering the flames in all directions.
Throughout it all, illuminated by the firelight, Fang Li's face remained utterly calm.
"Tch…"
Stiyl clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Are you even human?"
He blew apart that raging flame with just a single kick, without using any magic or supernatural ability. Could an ordinary human truly accomplish that?
The torrent of fire was hot enough to melt steel. Any normal human body would have been reduced to ash instantly. Even someone like Kanzaki, a saint, wouldn't dare take it on like that. At the very least, she would have reinforced her body with a strengthening technique or cast a fire-resistant spell.
In Kanzaki's case, however, she would simply cleave the flames apart with a single stroke of her blade rather than bother with such a hassle.
However, no one would be reckless enough to let their bare body brush against heat exceeding three thousand degrees Celsius.
Yet, Fang Li stood there as if nothing had happened, watching Stiyl with that same half-smiling expression.
"From a biological perspective, I'd still be considered human. I doubt anyone could reasonably deny that."
Seeing how Fang Li dismissed what had just occurred as though it were nothing made Stiyl's expression grow even more sour. Still, he didn't launch another attack.
"I don't have time to waste on nonsense," Stiyl said irritably. "As you can see, I'm here for one reason only: to resolve the magic incident occurring in Academy City."
A magic incident.
Naturally, Stiyl was referring to the situation surrounding the Misawa Cram School.
"You've likely noticed it yourself. The Misawa Cram School has been overtaken by magical power," Stiyl explained. "Academy City's higher-ups are finding it a thorny problem, which is why I've been dispatched here."
The Science Side and the Magic Side have always been opposed to each other.
Now, with a magic-related event unfolding in the heart of the Science Side's stronghold, there was grounds for an official denunciation.
However, the problem was that, in the modern world, magic officially does not exist.
Thus, the Science Side could not openly accuse the Magic Side without undermining itself.
With the incident already underway, attempting to resolve it alone might create the impression that "science has triumphed over magic." This would disrupt the fragile equilibrium between the two groups, providing the Magic Side with justification to retaliate. At worst, it could escalate into an all-out war.
That was Stiyl's reasoning.
"So, as the price for Academy City having granted us free rein during the previous incident, it falls to me to handle things."
A price, was it?
No, it was more likely not so simple. Academy City and the United Kingdom Puritan Church had already made secret agreements behind the scenes. Such things might be hidden from most people, but not from the Divine Envoy with foresight.
Still, exposing it here would serve no purpose. Stiyl himself probably wasn't even aware of them.
"And then?" Fang Li asked bluntly. "What exactly do you expect me to do with this information?"
Stilts answered without hesitation.
"I intend to use your power to resolve this incident."
His eyes hardened.
"You don't have the privilege of refusing."
(End of chapter.)