I couldn't explain why I was so drawn to this specific concept. Perhaps the Psychodriver abilities within me were resonating with the idea in some strange way. All I knew was that the concept of Magia Erebea—of devouring one's own power—exerted a violent, magnetic pull on my soul.
Deciding it was faster to ask the creator herself rather than deciphering a cryptic book, I returned the volume to its place and headed back out to the garden.
"Oh, Axel-kun. Are you finished with your studies in the library?"
I found Chizuru taking a break, wiping sweat from her brow with a towel while sipping a sports drink. She was alone.
"Where is everyone else?"
"Evangeline-san took Ayaka over there..."
I followed her gaze toward a wall on the far side of the courtyard, where the muffled sound of small explosions echoed.
"Ayaka is starting to get the hang of Magic Archer, so they're doing some target practice. She still hasn't perfected the control yet, so they moved away so I wouldn't get caught in the crossfire."
"I see. And you're practicing over here?"
"Yes. I can trigger the basic beginner spells reliably now, so I was thinking of trying something new... Do you have any recommendations?"
I looked at Chizuru. Given her personality, she wasn't particularly suited for aggressive, destructive magic.
"Healing or support magic might be your forte," I suggested. "But even if you aren't built for offense, you should at least master Magic Archer. It's the bare minimum for self-defense."
"I thought you might say that. Thank you, Axel-kun. I'll take that to heart."
"Sure. I'm going to find Eva, but don't overexert yourself."
"I'll try. But... I'd rather not be left behind again. I want to at least reach a point where I'm not a burden to you."
She was referring to the mock battle between Evangeline and Negi, when I had taken Ayaka with me but left Chizuru behind because she couldn't protect herself. It clearly hadn't sat well with her.
"I understand," I said softly. "I'm looking forward to seeing you on this side of the fence."
With those words, I headed toward the sounds of the explosions.
"I summon thee, three spirits of ice! Gather and rend my foe... Magic Archer: Triple Ice Volley!"
As the incantation ended, three bolts of ice materialized around Ayaka and slammed into a suit of armor set up as a target ten meters away.
Usually, the "spirits of ice" part of the chant was omitted by experienced mages, but for a beginner like Ayaka who hadn't crafted a "Starter Key" yet, the full ritual was necessary.
"Impressive. And ice, no less."
"O-Oh! Axel-kun. Were you watching?"
"Just got here. Is ice your best element?"
"It seems so," Ayaka replied, looking a bit flushed. "Evangeline-san suggested I try it, and it feels much more natural than the others."
"Kuku... even I didn't expect her to have an affinity for the frozen arts," Evangeline added, looking at the dented armor with a smug, satisfied expression. "A blind spot, I suppose. So, Axel. What do you want?"
She turned her gaze toward me. I met it head-on.
"I want to know about the Magic of Darkness."
The air in the courtyard suddenly turned cold. The moment the words left my lips, the pressure radiating from Evangeline intensified until it felt like a physical weight against my chest.
Status Report
Name: Axel Almar
Level: 38 PP: 625
Melee: 262 Ranged: 282
Skill: 272 Defense: 272
Evade: 302 Hit: 322
SP: 462
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Consumes SP to enhance Slime performance)
Growth Type: All-Rounder / Special
Terrain: Air: S | Ground: S | Water: S | Space: S
Spirit Commands:
Accel (SP 4)
Effort (SP 8)
Focus (SP 16)
Direct Hit (SP 30)
Awaken (SP 32)
Love (SP 48)
Skills:
EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv.9, SP Regen, Concentration)
Psychokinesis Lv.10
Attacker
Gunfight Lv.9
In-fight Lv.9
Morale Limit Break
Geass (Grey)
Magic (Fire)
Magic (Shadow)
Magic (Summoning)
???
???
Total Kills: 376
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