[Fingerprint authentication successful. System startup... Complete.]
A synthetic voice, audible only to her, echoed in her mind. Faint lines of golden light traced their way across the bracelet's surface.
"Spell: Stamina Recovery," she whispered.
The light flared, and a magic circle appeared instantly beneath her chair. A wave of refreshing energy washed over her, banishing her fatigue in a heartbeat.
"Mmm~ That's better."
[Notice: Magic 'Stamina Recovery' stock: 3 -> 2.]
This was the bracelet's true power.
Magic Storage.
It could "capture" and store a spell that was being cast, holding it in stasis until the user released it.
Flamme had realized the tactical implication immediately. It allowed her to cast complex, time-consuming spells instantly, without chanting or preparation. She could stand perfectly still, offering no warning, and suddenly unleash a devastating attack or a crucial defense right in her opponent's face.
She had spent years filling its memory banks, storing her most powerful spells for a rainy day.
She smiled, looking at the device. It was a piece of Stell tech, a connection to the strange, wonderful girl who had changed her life. Her parents often caught her smiling at her wrist and worried she might be going a bit mad, but Flamme didn't care.
I wonder where she is now?
Just then, a commotion erupted outside.
People were shouting in the streets, voices filled with shock, fear, and excitement.
Flamme looked up, her gaze drawn to the southern horizon.
A pillar of blinding golden light had pierced the clouds, painting the entire sky in a brilliant, metallic hue. It was a sight that defied nature.
But Flamme didn't feel fear. She felt a surge of recognition.
She knew that color. She knew that light.
"Stell-neechan..." she whispered, pressing her hand against the window pane.
"It's the Angel! The Angel has descended again!"
The cry went up from the streets, spreading like wildfire.
Years ago, during the battle between Stell and Serie, Stell had manifested her Metatron form, the Astral Dress of pure white light. Many of the city's residents had witnessed that divine figure floating in the sky. In the wake of the demon attack, a new faith had taken root in the city, centered around the "Angel" who had saved them.
They recognized the golden light immediately. To them, it was a sign of divine intervention.
In the time since, missionaries had spread tales of the Angel's deeds. They spoke of a benevolent, all-powerful being who smote evil with a wave of her hand.
Flamme listened to these stories with a secret amusement. The "Angel" in the legends sounded nothing like the blunt, robotic, and socially awkward Stell she knew.
If they only knew she spends her free time reading comic books and eating snacks...
Still, knowing the truth felt like sharing a secret with the divine. She wondered about Takson, too. He was probably still traveling with her, carrying that massive axe. It had been four years. She missed them.
But looking at the golden sky, Flamme felt a surge of certainty. That light was Stell's magic.
"Stell-neechan... you really are amazing."
She ran out the door, gazing up at the golden canopy that now covered the heavens. Her admiration for Stell deepened, transforming into a burning resolve.
I have to work harder. I have to catch up to her. Or at least... get close enough to stand behind her.
With one last look at the sky, Flamme turned back to her room. She didn't waste time marveling at the spectacle. She picked up her grimoire. There was studying to do.
….
Meanwhile, Outside the Ruined Labyrinth:-
Takson stood before the entrance of the dungeon, his mouth hanging slightly open. His mind was a blank slate.
What... just happened?
He remembered the fight with the clone. He had won. Then, one of Stell's clones, the "friendly" ones, had grabbed him by the collar, dragged him to the side, and deployed a massive shield around them.
He had opened his mouth to ask what was going on.
Then, the world turned white.
A beam of light had erupted from the wall, tearing through the corridor where he had been standing just seconds before. The stone walls hadn't just crumbled; they had vaporized. The sound wasn't an explosion; it was the deafening roar of matter being erased from existence.
For several seconds, he heard nothing but the sound of the mountain being hollowed out.
Now, standing outside, he stared at the result. The labyrinth was gone. In its place was a perfectly smooth, circular tunnel that punched straight through the mountain and into the sky.
He was frozen, his brain struggling to process the scale of the destruction.
Beside him, Stell was getting impatient. She had expected him to recover after a few seconds. It had been a full minute.
"Reminder: Takson, the labyrinth conquest is complete. It is time to reboot your cognitive functions."
Stell floated up until she was eye-level with the towering warrior.
Her cold, golden eyes bore into his, snapping him back to reality.
"Teacher..." he stammered, pointing at the hole in the mountain. "That was...?"
"Answer: My attack."
"Your... attack?"
Takson looked up. The beam hadn't just pierced the mountain; it had pierced the sky. The clouds were gone, replaced by a lingering, shimmering golden haze that bathed the entire landscape in an ethereal light. The trees, the rocks, the grass, everything glittered as if dipped in gold dust.
"It's beautiful..." he whispered.
It was a breathtaking sight. A flower near his boot caught his eye. Its petals were coated in the glowing golden particles, sparkling like a jewel. Entranced, he reached down to pick it.
"Warning: Do not touch anything in this area."
Stell's voice was sharp, cutting through his trance.
"Eh?"
Takson froze, his hand inches from the flower. He looked at Stell, confused. Why would she stop him?
"Teacher, what's wrong?"
"Answer: Currently, every object in this area that has been exposed to the golden energy possesses lethal toxicity to biological lifeforms."
Stell stared directly into his eyes, her expression grave.
"Touch it, and you die."
The blood drained from Takson's face. He snatched his hand back as if the flower were a viper.
"What...?"
He didn't understand. It looked so harmless. So holy.
Stell saw his confusion. She decided a full explanation was necessary.
"Explanation: The energy used in that attack is foreign to this world. To native biological organisms, the residual fallout acts as a potent, fast-acting neurotoxin."
It was the "Black Ash" effect. The highly concentrated spirit particles from her All-Directional Cross were pure poison to humans.
"Simply put," she said, landing on the ground, "this entire valley is now a death zone."
….
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