Mystimona stood before Kintovar, Haras, and their creations with his expression deadly serious.

"You all have valid reasons to fight against the academy," Mystimona began. "But I have my own reasons for standing on the academy's side."

He paused for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts.

Mystimona continued to look at Kintovar, Haras, and their creations, but the words he sought eluded him which left the area in complete silence.

After standing for several minutes, Kintovar finally broke this silent atmosphere with her hands on her hips.

"You stand before us, claiming your loyalty to the academy, yet you cannot say your reasons? Speak your truth, Mystimona."

Mystimona simply nodded and spoke a single word, "Apologies."

Mystimona, frustrated by his inability to express his true thoughts, raised his hands in a futile attempt to convey his predicament. He made a series of awkward hand gestures, as if trying to physically piece together the words he couldn't form.

With a somewhat embarrassed face, he admitted, "I wanted to explain, but it's like... like the words are all jumbled up in my head, and I can't... can't quite put them together."

Mystimona's attempt to convey his frustration left everyone on the beach momentarily bewildered. Kintovar, Risebelle, Roselle, and Sybil all toppled over in the sand.

Haras was the first to recover. Her energetic demeanor knew no bounds. She bounced back to her feet with enthusiasm.

"Well, this is a perfect opportunity for an experiment!"

Mystimona's hand rested under his chin. With a sigh, he admitted, "I could solve this problem through combat. It's in battle that I find clarity, where the chaos of my thoughts tends to align. But I fear that if I were to engage in battle with all of you, it would be a one-sided one. I don't want this to end without a challenge of some sort."

Kintovar, her curiosity piqued by Mystimona's statement, raised an eyebrow and inquired, "A challenge, you say? What kind of challenge are you proposing?"

Mystimona, having made his intention clear, looked at Kintovar and her companions with a sense of anticipation. His purple eyes, once clouded with frustration, now sparkled with a hint of excitement.

"I propose a challenge," Mystimona declared,"I won't increase my power any further than where it stands now. If all of you can manage to defeat me under these conditions, then I will decide to join your cause. Does that sound like a fun challenge to you?"

Sybil stepped forward to address Mystimona's proposal. She trembled slightly as she spoke, "Um… you realize that your power is already beyond what the headmaster's Zenith form was capable of. We barely managed to defeat it. We're all exhausted from that battle. Are you sure you want to set these conditions?"

Mystimona met Sybil's gaze with a sense of resolve. He replied, “Ah I see. Then is it a problem for all of you?"

Kintovar raised a finger. “Give us a moment.”

Kintovar, Haras, Roselle, and Risebelle huddled together. They had a conversation hidden from Mystimona's ears. After a moment of intense discussion, Kintovar stepped forward confidently.

She addressed Mystimona with a confident nod, "We accept your challenge, Mystimona; however, we'll need some time to recover from our previous battle. Give us a few hours to rest, and we'll meet you for this challenge."

"Five minutes," Mystimona declared firmly. "That's all the time I am willing to give you to prepare. If you attempt to leave this beach, I won't hesitate to take action."

Kintovar nodded in acknowledgment.

The headmaster's face contorted with anger.

"What are you doing, Mystimona?" she seethed. "Why are you letting them have any time to recover at all? This is our chance to eliminate them once and for all!"

Mystimona met the headmaster's furious gaze with a calm and rational response.

"It wouldn't be much of a challenge if I simply eliminated them without giving them a chance," he explained, "I want this to be a fair contest, a test of our abilities. Besides, it's more entertaining this way, don't you think?"

The headmaster's protests grew even more vehement, her voice reaching a crescendo of anger as she shouted, "Entertaining? This is not a game, Mystimona! We're on the brink of victory in war and you want to give them a chance to turn the tide?!"

Mystimona's glare intensified, his purple eyes locking onto the headmaster's with intensity. He repeated his words with a firmness that brooked no argument, "Don't you THINK?!"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The headmaster fell silent, her rage was momentarily stifled. She knew that challenging his decision further would be futile. With a frustrated huff, she turned away.

"Fine, Mystimona," she muttered. "But don't think for a moment that I'll accept defeat. You may give them a chance, but don't hold back. I want to see that Kintovar’s head go flying off of her body."

Mystimona, his resolve unshaken, met the headmaster's words with a confident assurance of his own.

"I won't break my promise to them," he stated firmly. "I won't go all out, but I will do whatever is necessary to win."

Kintovar, Haras, Sybil, Roselle, and Risebelle sat in a circle on the sandy beach. Kintovar set a timer for 5 minutes. The sense of urgency hung in the air, but they also recognized the fortunate turn of events.

Kintovar broke the silence. "This is a lucky break," she began, her orange hair catching the soft light of the setting sun. "The headmaster seemed to have one last trick up her sleeve that I didn't know about. But luckily, Mystimona isn't fully under her control, or we would all be dead right now. This could have been game over. Perhaps we will be able to use this to our advantage here. We just need a good plan."

Haras, still full of energy despite their recent battle, nodded in agreement. "We've been given a chance, and we can't waste it," she added.

Sybil, her usual shyness masked by her sense of duty, spoke up, "We need to use this time wisely, to rest and prepare for the challenge that this guy threw out there. We can't afford to make any mistakes here."

Kintovar leaned in closer to Haras. "Haras, the Quantum Mindsuit will soon be out of power," she admitted with concern in her tone. "Its design allows it to enhance the wearer's mastery, but it has an average time limit of 10 minutes. We can't afford to push it beyond that."

Haras nodded with an unusual seriousness.

"You're right, Kintovar," she replied. "I'll take it off for now. We can't risk running out of power during the challenge can we?"

The Quantum Mindsuit, once a source of immense power, shrank and disappeared into Kintovar's pocket, leaving Haras in her regular attire.

Haras, now free from the Quantum Mindsuit's enhanced appearance, looked down at herself with a hint of playfulness in her eyes.

"I'm exposed!" she exclaimed with a chuckle

Kintovar smirked at Haras's comment. She leaned in closer and whispered, "Exposed, you say? I think you're far from it, Haras."

Kintovar rose to her feet.

"I know we're all exhausted," she began. "But we can't let this opportunity slip through our fingers. Mystimona has given us a chance, and we have to make the most of it."

Sybil nodded in agreement, her usual shyness replaced by a ferosity. "If there is any way I can help you doctor, let me know. I owe it to Becky and to you who saved my life so far."

Kintovar's plan was risky, but it was their best shot at victory. She explained it with a fiery passion that lit a fire in her companions' hearts.

"We'll put everything on the line," Kintovar declared with confidence. "Roselle and Risebelle will shut down momentarily as their borrowed power returns to my Mana Extractor. But I have one last plan, an all-or-nothing bet that could turn the tide in our favor."

Kintovar's intense gaze fixed on Roselle. She pointed directly at the young creation and spoke with a sense of urgency, “Roselle, It will all rely on you."

Roselle's innocent blue eyes widened in surprise at the sudden responsibility placed upon her shoulders. She stammered and spoke with hesitation, "M-me?"

Kintovar nodded firmly with unwavering confidence. "Yes, you," she affirmed. "You have a unique power, one that could turn the tide of this challenge. But it won't be easy, and it will require you to tap into your true potential, even if only temporarily...”

Roselle remained in a state of confusion, uncertain about the specific role she was expected to play.

Risebelle spoke next, "Roselle, do you remember when we faced Abner, that Elite mage? It was when we thought Runebelle ceased functioning for good. You... you tapped into your power, and it changed everything. We were able to eliminate Abner because of what you did."

Roselle's eyes widened as she tried to recall the event, but the memory eluded her. She blinked in surprise and stammered, "I... I don't remember that. What happened?"

Risebelle’s gaze grew more somber as she explained, "You pushed beyond your limitations, Roselle. Your power surged, and it allowed us to defeat Abner. Of course nothing like that comes free. Your body wasn't ready for that level of transformation. You suffered a Magical Rupture. It was... it was terrifying to say the least, Roselle."

Risebelle’s carried anger and concern as she looked to Kintovar.

"If you’re going to do something that makes Roselle have to risk her life like that again, I won't permit it," Risebelle declared, her gaze unwavering. "I can't afford to lose her. It was a miracle that she survived that Magical Rupture last time. I…I won’t have that worry on my mind again."

"You've changed quite a bit, Risebelle," Kintovar remarked with intrigue. "I remember when we first activated Roselle and I paired you up on your first mission. You thought she would be nothing more than a hindrance and you barely seemed to care for her, but now, you're here willing to stand up for her."

Risebelle's glanced at Roselle with a small blush coming to her face. She then sighed and explained. "Roselle has proven herself in many ways since that first mission. She's not just a burden; she's my sister, and I won't let her be put in unnecessary danger."

Kintovar nodded with understanding. "I understand, Risebelle. Without a doubt, you have matured."

Haras was moved by the newfound bond between Risebelle and Roselle. She wiped away an imaginary tear and exclaimed dramatically, "Oh, Risebelle, you've grown so fast! From someone who hates everything to finding something to love. It's like a story from one of those romance novels I read!"

Risebelle rolled her eyes at Haras's theatrical display but didn't deny the truth in her words. She realized that she really did come a long way in her feelings toward Roselle.

"Well, she's still a huge idiot sometimes, but... she's our sister, both me and Runebelle's, and I won't let anything happen to her."

Roselle, overwhelmed by the sudden attention and the realization of the bond she shared with her sisters, felt a warm sensation in her chest. She stammered upon speaking.

"Th-thank you, Risebelle."

Dr. Kintovar raised one finger, “You don’t have to worry though. There is…one other way to activate 'The Project Mage' transformation, one that may not pose as much risk to Roselle. It depends on how much memory data her systems have collected."

Roselle blinked in confusion, her innocent blue eyes reflecting her uncertainty. "Memory data? What do you mean?"

Kintovar continued her explanation, "Roselle, you have been observing, learning, and growing ever since your activation. Your systems have been collecting data about magical abilities, techniques, and strategies. If we can tap into that collected knowledge and use it to empower you, it may be possible to activate 'The Project Mage' transformation without risking a Magical Rupture."

Roselle's eyes widened with amazement at the mention of the "Project Mage" transformation. She repeated the words,

"Project Mage Transformation?"