The golden storm raged for several minutes.
In those few minutes, the area around Naoki and Ciel transformed into something bizarre. The ground wasn't littered with large and small craters from the cannon barrels; instead, it was a perfectly flat, deep pit.
The destructive storm was like dozens of excavators working at full power. It eroded the earth around them completely, leaving only a single pillar standing alone in the center of the pit where they stood.
After stowing all the cannon barrels around him, Naoki summoned a gust of wind to clear the rising smoke and dust. He looked at the now-empty surroundings and smiled. "There, that's much better, isn't it, Ciel?"
Better?
Ciel, slightly dirtied by the dust, glanced at him. In terms of results, the sea of trees that had surrounded them was indeed completely annihilated, leaving not a trace behind. The view had become so open that they could even see the Mystic Eye Collection Train they had left behind.
But—
"You're absolutely outrageous. This is practically reshaping the topography, isn't it? How are you going to clean up this mess later?"
The area where the Mystic Eye Collection Train was located was at the foot of a mountain. Though it was some distance from the mountain range, it was still at its base. Naoki's earlier cannon barrage hadn't just hit the Forest of Einnashe but also affected the distant mountains. Where the shots landed, the ground had sunk over a hundred meters—and it wouldn't naturally return to normal when the Forest of Einnashe vanished!
Ciel could already imagine the uproar in society when the state of this area was revealed. And all of this was caused by the man beside her.
"My position is that of someone you're helping, so I won't comment on your actions. But you'd better think carefully about how to deal with the mess you've made," Ciel said resignedly.
Hearing her words, Naoki merely smiled casually and snapped his fingers.
*CLICK!*
With the sound of the snap, the hundred-meter-deep pit created by the cannon barrage instantly returned to its original state. There wasn't even a process of earth piling up—it simply reverted to its condition from a few minutes ago in an instant!
Ciel froze on the spot.
"Imaginary Manifestation—seventy percent of me is now a Fairy. As a terminal born from the planet itself, even if not naturally, I have permission to use this ability."
"No matter how much damage is caused, as long as it's limited to the planet's environment, I can restore it in an instant. So there's no need for cleanup afterward. You're overthinking it, Ciel."
Naoki's words, spoken with a smile, left Ciel utterly shocked.
Imaginary Manifestation—she had seen Arcueid use this ability in Misaki City seven years ago. But back then, due to Naoki's involvement, the true strength of the ability wasn't fully apparent.
Now, Ciel truly understood—in a single moment, he could restore large-scale environmental changes. If that ability were used in reverse, without exaggeration, Naoki alone could destroy the entire natural environment.
(Only seven years have passed, how did he become like this? He even has Imaginary Manifestation—)
"Wait, you said seventy percent of you is a Fairy? Like that True Ancestor? Why?"
"Well… simply put, it's the result of some people competing over me. It seems I'm quite appealing to some. Let's not talk too much about me. Now's not the time for us to chat casually."
Just as Naoki finished speaking, on the now-restored flat ground, countless trees suddenly sprouted again at a rapid pace. Even beneath their feet, a massive tree that would take five people to encircle abruptly emerged, lifting them over a hundred meters into the air!
Standing at the top of the tree, looking down at the dense sea of trees below, Naoki was slightly surprised. "What incredible regeneration speed. If the core isn't completely destroyed, it'll regenerate in an instant? No wonder the Church and Clock Tower always get wiped out."
The total area of the Forest of Einnashe was roughly equivalent to a full city. Searching for the core in such a vast area while constantly being attacked by branches… Perhaps the Church's knights and Magi in the past were exhausted by the relentless assaults and devoured one by one.
Deploying large numbers of people was indeed useless in this situation. Only someone like Naoki, with exceptionally high individual combat ability, could act freely here.
"By the way, you okay, Ciel?"
"Do I look okay?" Ciel, bound by chains, shouted irritably. "Even though you saved me so I didn't fall, I would've been fine without you. So hurry up and let me go."
"Don't get so mad. Besides, saving you was just incidental."
Naoki laughed, slightly lifting the chain in his hand before pulling it up and embracing her.
Seeing Naoki's face suddenly so close, Ciel's face flushed slightly. "Put me down."
"I'm worried you'll fall. Or can you fly?"
"No, I can't."
"Then let me hold you like this. Or would you prefer I carry you on my shoulder?"
Carry her on his shoulder?
Ciel imagined herself slung over Naoki's shoulder like a sack, then shook her head. "Forget it… This is fine. More importantly, what about the Forest of Einnashe?"
"Relax, Fairies can control environmental changes around them. The core is still there, unmoving. We just need to reach it and give it a hard hit. If I weren't holding you, I could've settled it with a long-range attack from here."
"So, am I just holding you back?"
"No, not at all. I'm used to situations like this. And what I said earlier isn't impossible—it just requires a slight adjustment."
As he spoke, Naoki shifted his hand downward, wrapping it around Ciel's waist. From holding her with both arms, he moved to embracing her against his chest. At the same time, his other hand reached toward the sky—
*BOOM!*
In the dark sky, a clap of thunder suddenly rang out. Countless dark clouds rapidly gathered from all directions, forming a massive vortex above Naoki's head. Within the vortex, flashes of lightning flickered continuously, accompanied by deafening thunder.
Imaginary Manifestation—summon lightning.
"Fall, lightning."
Naoki swung his hand as if throwing a baseball. From the cloud vortex, hundreds of lightning bolts transformed into a meteor shower of thunder, simultaneously shooting down toward the core of the Forest of Einnashe!
"——"
After a brief moment of silence.
*BOOOOOM!*
An unmatched explosion and flames erupted from the depths of the Forest of Einnashe! The blaze surged high into the sky!