Meanwhile, in the heart of the city.
"Ready?" The mercenary's gaze was ice-cold, unhurried. With one smooth motion, he aimed the rocket launcher and fired at Shigeru's limousine parked in the center of the plaza. The explosion roared, shaking the ground beneath their feet. In an instant, the car was reduced to a heap of blazing wreckage, scattering into thousands of glowing fragments. The deafening blast lingered, flames licking the asphalt, the air thick with the acrid stench of burning metal.
One shot was all it took. The limousine was gone, as if it had never existed. The mercenaries didn't hesitate, moving with precision. A few bullets into the wreckage, a couple more toward any figure that might've survived… if anyone could. They knew their job.
"Done," one of them said, eyes glued to his phone as he dialed a number. His voice was steady, but his hands trembled faintly with adrenaline. "Tell the boss."
But before he could finish, something impossible happened. From the flames, like a specter emerging from shadow, he appeared. Keito. This wasn't just an entrance. He didn't rush or run—he glided. His form felt unnatural, a blend of human and something… more. Something beyond comprehension, too vast for the mind to grasp. He was still, yet moving, as if the air itself molded around him, carrying him forward.
Behind him, like eerie companions, came the Fujiwara family. They, too, floated on something invisible, their presence as undeniable as it was surreal. They hovered with the same intangible power, shadows that defied understanding yet commanded attention.
"What the hell?" The mercenary froze, eyes wide, unable to process the sight. His fingers tightened around his weapon, as if shooting could snap reality back into place. But nothing happened. Keito just… hung there, suspended above the shattered car like a figure burned into a photograph. No, not a figure. Something else. Something alive.
Ayana, Takatsu, and the others stood frozen, unable to tear their eyes away from Keito and the Fujiwaras. Words failed them. The scene before them defied reason.
"What… is this?" Ayana managed, her voice trembling as she stared. She was rooted in place, pierced by the sheer impossibility of it all. A strange electric hum coursed through her, as if the air itself was shifting. Hesitantly, she reached out, her fingers brushing the invisible surface beneath Keito's feet. It felt solid—like glass, like steel. Yet fragile, like ice. It was beyond explanation.
"Is this… magic?" she whispered, the word barely capturing the mix of awe and dread surging within her.
The crowd in the plaza stood motionless, caught in stunned silence. Slowly, people began pulling out their phones, desperate to capture the scene. Live streams exploded with footage of Keito and the Fujiwaras, their otherworldly presence flooding the central street with an eerie sense that reality itself was being rewritten. Murmurs and muffled chaos filled the square, but no one dared approach.
No one understood what they were witnessing. But everyone knew it was monumental—a moment that could change everything.
"Enough of you pests!" Shigeru snapped, his patience gone. With a fierce sweep of his hand, he carved through the air. It wasn't just a gesture—his motion left a shimmering trail, like an invisible blade slicing through space. In an instant, half the mercenaries collapsed, their bodies cleaved diagonally, too fast for them to even register their fate.
"Open fire!" one of the surviving mercenaries screamed, his voice a raw mix of terror, panic, and confusion. But the bullets aimed at Shigeru never reached him. They ricocheted off an invisible force, striking the air with a deafening clang, like they'd hit reinforced glass. The rounds fell uselessly to the ground, powerless as pebbles against an unbreakable wall.
"Want some new tricks?" Shigeru's smile was subtle, almost elegant, but his signature gesture—fingers curling as if gathering unseen energy—was sharp and confident. He raised his hand, and a surge of crimson power ignited in his palm. It glowed like molten metal, sparking in the air. The energy swirled around his fingers, compressed into a blazing orb, then erupted outward with devastating force.
Everyone froze. The civilians in the plaza stood paralyzed, gripped by fear and awe. Some fumbled for their phones, cameras rolling, while others stood stock-still, unsure what to do. Live streams exploded online, capturing the surreal scene. The plaza buzzed with shocked murmurs as the footage spread like wildfire.
"What is this? What just happened?" one online commentator gasped, voice trembling. The video racked up views at a dizzying pace, but no one could fully grasp what they were seeing.
"Is this… magic? Or something else? This can't be real!" another host stammered, fear lacing their words as they stared at the screen.
"It's unreal! I can't believe this is happening!" a third commentator added, glancing nervously at their colleagues.
"This is gonna be huge! If this is real, the world's never gonna look the same!" a fourth voice chimed in, tinged with both dread and a strange, thrilled excitement.
Then, Shigeru's crimson blast tore free, a bolt of light brighter than anything they'd ever seen, like lightning forged from fire. It sliced through the remaining mercenaries as if they were nothing, leaving no trace. The beam kept going, shredding the asphalt like paper. Debris and earth shot into the air. Nearby cars exploded on impact, adding to the chaos with a thunderous roar. Thick clouds of smoke began to choke the plaza, swirling with fiery embers.
The crowd was in chaos. Some scattered in all directions, while others couldn't tear their eyes away, phones still recording the surreal scene. The air thrummed with unreality, as if this moment would be seared into everyone's memory for life—but no one knew how it would end.
"How is this even possible?" Comments flooded the live streams. People on the other side of the screens scrambled to make sense of it, but words fell short of capturing the spectacle unfolding.
In the plaza, where chaos had reigned moments ago, everything went eerily still. A fleeting void, as if time itself paused. Only the sound of ragged breathing and the crackle of smoldering debris reached the ears of those still standing. Smoke still billowed in the distance, and the crowd, disbelief etched on their faces, kept filming, capturing a moment that had already changed everything.
Author:
Hey, amazing readers! 🌟 Thanks for diving into this chapter of Kaiyo and Ayana's magical journey!Their playful banter and sneaky surprises are just the beginning of what's brewing at the Magic Academy. If you're loving the sparks flying between them, drop a comment—I'd love to know who you're rooting for! ⚡
Want to keep up with their adventures? Add this story to your library so you don't miss a single moment of the action, rivalries, and maybe even a few more surprises. Every like, comment, or share helps fuel the magic, so spread the word and let's make this journey truly epic together! 💫
See you in the next chapter!