CHAPTER 12: RADIANCE, P4

~12.4~

*****

With Alfia’s warning given, Eve returned to the platform. As she was preparing to take everyone back to the world, Kye said something that caused her to pause.

“Thank you for your offer.” She looked away as she spoke. “Your assistance would make things much easier, and I am happy to know you want to help, but I will not take shortcuts.”

Eve nodded and returned everyone to the world, then unfroze it. As soon as the world was free to move again, Alaira asked, “Hey, Kye, how much power did you put into that blast earlier? The one you split the sea with all the way out to the barrier mountains.” She leisurely pointed out at sea with her thumb at the mountains several miles out at sea that formed a barrier around the bay.

“You ask that as if you believe I can tell you an exact number,” Kye replied after taking a bite of steak.

Alaira chuckled. “In fact, I imagine you can more accurately determine that than even the highest grade mana readers.”

Kye smirked. “You’re not wrong.” She giggled and drew the number in the air with light mana.

“Ninety-five billion? Holy…”

She pondered the possibilities. “I think at maximum… if I repeated what I did in January… I could peak at about… another thousand fold over that. Ninety-five trillion.”

Even the elder royals stopped in their tracks. Food slipped from their utensils and fell back onto their plates. Alexandra was shocked enough to ask, “I’m sorry, did you say ninety-five trillion?”

Kye shrugged. “I could safely do a few bursts at that level without harming myself. I could possibly do a single burst about two and a half times higher. More would be like a bodybuilder doing too many reps. It’d cause harm to my body and rather quickly.”

“Never mind your body, would you not run out of mana doing that a few times?” Alaira said. “I don’t think I have enough mana to do a single attack at that level even if I could expel it all at once.”

Kye shook her head. “No. I have more mana than Allison. If I could do so without any backlash, I could fire off thousands of those blasts and not need to worry about running out.”

Michelle smirked. That’s putting it lightly.

“What sort of training have you gone through to get to that point?” Alexandra asked. “It’s one thing to be born with such a miraculous store of mana, but you can also wield it like no other. At your best, I would have trouble fending you off, and that’s if I use divine mana, which isn’t exactly safe. And you can wield it safely.”

“Wait, those numbers are with divine mana?” Rika asked. “The hell?”

Kye shrugged. “Well, I do have one thing I’m planning to start introducing it to all the royals, and my classes at the academy if I am made an instructor.” She had everyone’s attention. She smiled and continued, “I’ve been doing this since I was very young.”

She explained that her method was using multiple spells layered upon herself. One was a gravity spell. She had to constantly use mana to counter the effect to walk and move normally without boring her feet into the ground from the extra weight, as well as keep her body from being damaged throughout the process.

“It’s basically magical weight training that relies on ridiculously precise mana control. Alethea, Liliana, Aliana, and I have been running it virtually nonstop for over ten years.”

“What are your results so far?” Ginchiyo asked. “You said you could execute bursts in the trillions, but what of your normal limit?”

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Well, in January I clocked in at 27.5M. Right now, I’m at 95m.”

Everyone aside from the immortals and Evelyn went wide-eyed.

*****

“Evelyn, may I ask a personal question?” Kye asked partway through their meal.

“Personal?” Everyone stopped chatting, curious why Kye spoke up that way. “I suppose, but I may or may not answer, depending on the question.”

Kye nodded. “I was wondering what you do. Professionally, I mean.”

“Oh, sure. I’m a medical professional. I travel around and heal people with severe conditions.” She glanced at Alethea. “Atalante has asked me about helping you.”

“She has?”

“Yes. She explained things and suggested I speak directly to you sometime about it.”

“Uhm… well… I’m not sure.” Alethea looked away.

“It’s okay, dear, it’s a difficult subject. Atalante gave me your contact information, so I’ll message you. Feel free to respond whenever you want, be it in five minutes, five days, or five years. Whenever you are ready.”

Alethea smiled. “Thank you.” Evelyn nodded. Alethea looked back at Kye to thank her as well, but Kye was out toward the sea. “Shi-chan?”

December 11… today’s date. I’ve been sensing that strange mana since I got back. Is it the enemy that was supposed to kill us?

“Shi-chan?”

No matter what it is, I will protect everyone. This is my world. I’ll never lose. Never. Nobody will die on my watch!

“Shi-chan!”

Kye jumped. “Huh? What?” Everyone was looking at her. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re the one staring off into space,” Hannah said. “Are you alright? Feeling hot?” She reached over and felt Kye’s forehead. “Seems normal.”

“Oh, no, I’m fine. I just…” She looked back toward the sea but couldn’t sense the strange mana any longer. “Never mind.” She finished up her meal and returned her plate to the staff. “Sorry, everyone, I’m going to run back to the hotel for a few minutes. I just want to go check on Kaede.”

“Oh, is that what you’ve been worrying about?” Ginchiyo asked with a grin. “Go. It’s fine! It’s quite normal for… well, I suppose I don’t have to tell you that.”

Kye smiled and started to teleport, but sensed the strange mana again, this time it was in motion and growing stronger. Everyone else sensed it at the same time and followed Kye outside. Kye quickly realized what was happening. “Evacuate everyone! Now!” She turned back toward the sea, her body now glowing in light aether, and raised an enormous barrier just in time to block a gigantic blast of red mana.

“What?!” Hannah jumped up. “Joseph, Johnathan, go to the hotel immediately. Your mother is there taking care of the baby. Take the baby and go through the world gate to Atlantis.” The two nodded and teleported. “The rest of you, help evacuate our people to safety!”

“Astraia!” Kye said. Astraia nodded and transformed into Hikarimaru.

“Astar-”

“No! You two help with the evacuation!”

“Shi-chan?”

“I’ll take care of this.”

“But the other worldline!”

“It’s fine. I have everything I need to deal with it. I can sense its mana clearly now. It’s strong, and I can see how it would beat us in another worldline, but…” Her aura, eyes, and even the color of her aether refined. “Aether Drive!”

“Shi-chan?”

It’s quite a difference. Alfia gave us only information about another worldline. She didn’t give power or knowledge… but I feel more empowered. She looked up at the beast as it arrived. It was much more humanoid than the last, to the point that it could feasibly pass for human if not for its eyes. It had normal skin, hair, clothing, and held a sword, but its eyes were different with black sclera and crimson red irises. Just like demons. They use long-lasting illusion magic to hide their black sclera so as to blend in properly with humans. Red irises are common with them, too. I already knew what these beasts are, but seeing it like this with… Shiro, you have done something unforgivable. I’ll have your head for this!

“Shi-chan?!” Alethea saw something in Kye’s eyes that she hadn’t seen in a long time. She’s angry. But… I don’t blame her. That bastard is messing with her world.

“Tell me, beast!” Kye said, using magic to project her voice. “Do you have any sense of self? Any memory of what you once were?”

The beast didn’t react.

“Very well.” She turned to Alethea and the others. “Go. I will take care of this.” Alethea started to respond, but Kye cut her off. “I understand the mission now. This is personal.”

“Okay. I trust you. Be safe.” Alethea ran off to help with the evacuation, leaving Adele and Michelle behind with Kye.

“You two as well.”

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Michelle said.

“If you can’t win, don’t hurt yourself over it,” Adele added. “You coming back is the most important part.”

“I’ll be fine.” Her pupils had shrunk as she stared down the beast. Her energy was a raging tempest of golden radiance. It was beyond regular mana and even aether. The aethersteel bracelet on her wrist transformed, but not into a weapon. It transformed into a short purple kimono with short sleeves, black hem, and bound with a black obi.

“<>!”

*****

Revision: 2024-2-16

A/N: Advanced Chapters are now available on Patreon! See profile for links!