The demonic crimson blade pulsed with red energy. It slid through the body before it without resistance, as though excited by the blood. The red light quivered, drinking the victim's blood and reducing the body to dust.
"So blood can speed the fusion." Feeling how much faster her yubashiri was merging with the darkin scythe thanks to the blood, Asagami Fujino was pleased. Kill a few more people and the fusion would be complete. She was curious what the final union of yubashiri and darkin scythe would look like.
"I didn't expect my presence to push the timeline so far ahead. Jouzai Kusanagi's only showing up now." Asagami Fujino sheathed yubashiri and gazed into the distance; she sensed three mana signatures.
"Looks like they're about to begin. Without Jouzai Kusanagi's death, I wonder if that fool Tohko's little sister will still awaken the Fifth Magic." Fujino was intrigued. In the original timeline, Aoko Aozaki had been traumatized by Kusanagi's death, activating her Fifth Magic and hurling the five minutes of his murder far into the future. Borrowing Kusanagi's past ten years, she transformed into her ten-years-older self and easily defeated Tohko, cursing her in the process.
Now everything had changed. Aoko would certainly possess the Fifth Magic—it was hers by right—but without Kusanagi's death, no one could guarantee she would awaken it this time.
The future was unpredictable; even Fujino's Observation Haki could only foresee minutes ahead, and only within a limited range.
"Master, aren't you going to check on Miss Tohko?" Black Gun Saber appeared at Fujino's side.
Fujino shook her head. "Touko will be fine. Jibril is watching from the shadows, so don't worry."
"Then what do we do now?" Black Gun Saber asked again.
"Let's not talk about that." Fujino looked at her. "From now on, just call me Fujino. And I'll call you Artoria—Lia for short."
"Understood, Fujino." Artoria's lips curved in a faint, happy smile.
"Good. Let's take care of something, then go see Fujino." Fujino took Artoria's hand—it was soft and faintly warm—and unconsciously tightened her grip.
Across the way, Tohko now faced her sister Aoko and her former friend Alice Kuonji.
"It's been a long time." Seeing Aoko right before her, Tohko sighed. She had returned to Misaki City only to prove herself worthy of inheriting the family's Fifth Magic, but after meeting Asagami Fujino on the train, everything changed.
Standing against her sister now was simply about closure; her original ambition had faded. Looking at Aoko, Tohko only wanted a good fight—to slam her annoying little sister into the ground.
After that, perhaps travel with Fujino? Tohko wasn't sure. Fujino had once asked if, when it was all over, she'd like to see a wider world together. Tohko hadn't answered, saying only that she'd give her reply when everything was finished.
"Hey, what are you staring at?!" Aoko squirmed under Tohko's odd gaze and shouted.
"Nothing." Tohko smiled. "I just didn't expect my little sister to have grown up."
Her eyes drifted unconsciously to Aoko's fully developed chest; she thought Fujino would like it, remembering her promise that if Fujino wanted her sister, she herself would yield.
"Hey, what are you looking at!" Aoko again felt uncomfortable under Tohko's stare and instinctively covered herself; Tohko's gaze was too unsettling.
Beside them, Alice Kuonji studied her former friend, sensing that Tohko had changed greatly.
"I'm not here for that meaningless Magic this time." Tohko regarded Aoko, the mana within her already gathering.
"Huh?" Aoko and Yuzuha both stared, not understanding. If not for the Fifth Magic, then what?
"I owe someone a huge debt—one I can never repay. Fortunately, I still have you, little sister, so you'll have to do." Tohko smiled, and the prepared mana behind her formed a vast magic circle.
"Heavenly Strike!"
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